Ten years of adventures
by Shiary
Summary: A series of interconnected drabbles that span the 10 or so years between the end of Prompto is what? to the beginning of the game. Prompts and requests are welcome!
1. Chocobo Farm

Prompto tried to be silent as he pushed himself off Cor's extra bed and unto unsteady feet. Keeping a hand on the wall, Prompto moved as quietly as he could until he reached his Uncle's room whose door was open just a bit. Holding his breath, the boy pushed it open until he could sneak in, allowing the breath to come out only when he saw the unmoving form beneath the covers. Covering a giggle, Prompto pushed himself to take the last few steps to the bed before dropping on Cor with a shout, ''Wake up Uncle! We're going to the Chocobo Farm!''

Cor had woken up at the first thump of Prompto standing up in the extra bedroom Sylva had insisted he set up a few weeks ago but had been content to wait silently when Prompto didn't shout and simply started moving. When his nephew dropped on him, Cor turned around to catch the boy and drag in into the bed to tickle him. As Prompto tried to fight his Uncle's playfull tickling, Cor still kept a careful eye to prevent any accidental injuries from happened. He stopped the tickling when Prompto got started getting breathless and sat up while the boy caught his breath between short giggles. ''Well, if you want to head out to the chocobo farm to spend the day then we should start getting ready.'' Cor mentioned to which PRompto nodded enthusiastically.

Prompto shifted to get back up but as he started to put weight on his feet he found himself unable to do so, the child frowning then turning to look at his Uncle, ''I guess I over did it…'' Cor smiled, and picked Prompto up easily, taking him back to the guest room and helping him get back into his wheelchair. ''Are eggs good for breakfast?'' Cor asked as he headed to his kitchen to start the food and coffee. Prompto chirped, ''Yup! Sunnyside up please!'' as he headed to take a quick shower. Cor turned on the radio, humming along to the songs playing on air while he cooked. Sylva and Lance had been gone for 5 days, leaving their son in his care until they returned from where ever Lance's conference was. Sylva had been rather quiet on where they would be going but Cor figured it was probably because she wanted to have some time alone with her husband after the busy summer. Thankfully Cor didn't have to worry too much about his schedule as Prompto had returned to school a week ago and as such traveled with the prince and his retinue to and from school daily. Rhane had stepped up once more with Monica to ensure that Cor was free to spend the evening with Prompto and would have as many free weekends as he needed baring an emergency.

Those thoughts circled his mind as he finished Prompto's breakfast just as the boy arrived to eat, putting a plate of eggs, fruits and some yogurt in front of Prompto before making his own quickly. The breakfast is a cheerful thing as Prompto asks a million questions about the chocobos and they would see at the farm while Cor chuckles and tries to answer his nephew's endless questions. After breakfast, Cor picked up the bags they had packed the previous evening and the duo set out to the promised weekend at the chocobo farm.

The ride to the closest farm was a bit over 5 hours long, during which Prompto introduced Cor to his favorite bands and to his new favorite song of all times, the Chocobo Song. By the time Cor pulled into the parking space for the farm, he was half way to going crazy as the song was now stuck in his head on a constant loop after the 10th time Prompto sang it. Cor cast a look at his nephew, hanging half out of the car window as he looked around with obvious excitement and glee. A soft smile made its way to the Marshall's face at the sight and he silently thanked the astrals that Sylva wasn't there to tease him about the obvious adoration he had for the little blond piece of sunshine that had made such a sudden appearance in his life. ''Come one Uncle Cor! The chocobos are waiting!'' exclaimed Prompto, turning to stare at his Uncle with barely restrained excitement.

Cor chuckled as he replied, ''They'll be there once we finish settling down in our rooms and eating some lunch Prompto.'' He got out of the car and brought out Prompto's wheelchair beside the car door before going back in the trunk to grab their bags. After checking that he had everything, Cor followed Prompto towards the farm house that also served at a motel for overnight guests such as them. The owner of the farm, a motherly woman in her late 40's, walked out to greet the two with open arms, ''Welcome to Anastasia's Chocobo farm! You must be Mr. Leonis!'' Cor nodded, shifting the bags to extend a hand in greeting, ''Yes that would be me. We have a reservation for the night.'' Anastasia nodded, ''Of course, we also have prepared a room on the first floor for you and your son as requested.'' Cor jerked in surprise and blushed, quickly explaining, ''Prompto is my nephew but I appreciate your help in accommodating us.''

Prompto gave a small chuckle at the lady's word and his Uncle's reaction to it and decided to take a page from his mom's books, ''It's ok! Cor is my dad for the weekend! Right Dad?'' Cor choked and whipped around to stare at Prompto, face completely red. A sudden flash of light causing him to blink and Cor saw Prompto grinning as he pulled down his camera. ''You're just like your mother when you do that.'' He sighed but Prompto could see the smile in his eyes and grinned in reply, ''Come one! I want to go see the Chocobos!'' Anastasia watched her guests interact together with an amused smile and waited until Prompto mentioned the Chocobos to intervene, ''Prompto was it?'' The boy nodded, ''Why don't you head over to see the chocobos right now? I'll bring your Uncle to your rooms.''

Prompto perked up even more, ''Really? Can I?'' He looked between Cor and Anastasia with the eagerness of a small puppy going for a walk. Cor looked at Prompto and nodded, ''Sure. Go and have fun but be careful!'' Prompto nodded eagerly, moving to hug Cor around the waist before following the signs that showed where the Chocobos could be found. Cor watched his nephew head out with a fond smile before following their host to the put away their things. The room Cor was brought too had 2 twin sized beds and was big enough for Prompto to be able to navigate his wheelchair wherever he wanted to go. With a satisfied nod to himself, Cor dropped the bags on the bed and went to arrange for the payment of their stay. Once that was done, Cor took his time to join up with Prompto, staying back at the edge of the clearing as he watched his nephew sitting down on the ground while cuddling chocochicks. The sight of Prompto, wide eyed in amazement covered in small fluffy birds using the sitting boy as a jungle gym with one of the staff keeping an eye on them was something so innocent that Cor couldn't bring himself to impose his presence there.

He settled for taking out his phone and taking pictures to share with Sylva and Lance when they returned. The marshall kept a distant watch over Prompto as the boy moved from enclosure to enclosure, talking with everyone and hugging as many of the chocobos and the chicks as possible. He heard footsteps coming up behind him, tensing up by instinct and checking over his shoulder fully prepared for trouble. Instead he saw Anastasia walking with another woman her age, both carrying a basket in their arms. Anastasia smiled at Cor and asked, ''It's a bit past noon, I'm guessing neither you nor your nephew have eaten anything if you got here from Insomnia so why don't you boys join us for ours?'' Cor relaxed, offering a smile in return, ''That's very kind of you, please allow me to help.'' He accepted the extended basket from Anastasia who moved towards the enclosed grounds clapping her hands together. As she did, all the chicks suddenly chirped and started moving away from the staff and towards some of the chocobos while Cor, Prompto and the few other guests present there stared in wonder. The woman who had accompanied Anastasia laughed at their expression, ''Quite something eh? Ana has a talent for training the chicks to go back to their parents when she claps like that. It makes feeding them and making sure we haven't lost any so much easier.''

Cor nodded dumbly, ''It'd be a useful thing to teach new recruits.'' He muttered thinking about how the latest group of recruits for the Crownguards had the unfortunate tendency to get lost or disappear whenever their supervisor had their backs turned for more than a second. The woman laughed and introduce herself, ''I'm Karina, Anastasia's wife. Come this way, we'd better start getting the tables ready for everyone.'' Cor offered Karina a nod and followed her to where a few wooden picnic tables stood under some of the trees for shade. Between the two adults, they had everything set up by the time the guests and staff had finished feeding the chicks and chocobos and now were hungry for their own food. Prompto had apparently found a new friend, chatting with a quiet girl as they made their way to the tables. ''Uncle! Did you see that? It was amazing! And the chicks are so cute and soft! Did you hold one?'' Cor chuckled and shook his head, ''Not yet but I will after we eat. Who's your new friend?'' he replied. Prompto grinned, completely excited by his short first experience with the chocobos. ''This is the owners daughter, Sasha! She was telling me about all the chicks and which ones she named! Isnt it awesome!''

The lunch passed quickly as Sasha and Prompto became fast friend by its end and both children proceeded to drag Cor into a cuddle pile of children and chocochicks despite Cor's attempts to explain he didn't belong surrounded by such fragile beings. The numbers of pictures that found their way on the internet of the Immortal Marshall surrounded by chocochicks and several children made the top new of Lucis for a week straight. Several reporters even tried to interview the members of the Crownguards about them though no one was suicidal enough to actually take the offered bribes to talk. When Cor returned back to work on Monday, he found a new poster hanging in the Crownguards office with a signed order from the King himself. The poster was of Cor with a bright yellow chick nestling on his head while two more where in his hands, the order stapled below the embarrassing image read 'By Order of Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, this poster is not to be removed without the authorization of the King or his Shield. Any attempts to do so will be considered an act of treason and dealt with accordingly.' Cor facepalmed and muttered, ''I'm definitively returning this favor your majesty.''

A/N: Thank you for reading! If anyone has any requests or prompts they would like to see then by all means please let me know!


	2. Kitchen Fires

This is my first attempt at the 5 times + 1 style of fic. Hope you all enjoy it!

1\. 14 years old

As Ignis walks back through the bustling corridors, filled with the staff preparing for the welcoming feast in honor of the Royal Nox Fleuret Siblings who had arrived less than a week ago, he decided to stop by one of the smaller kitchens that was used by the staff for keeping their own snack or lunches while they worked. With some luck there would be some coffee or even some Ebony he could grab before his lesson. Ignis checked his phone a few times on his way there but received no news from Prompto or Noctis despite several attempts to contact them. Slightly worried, he promised himself that if received no messages from Noctis or Prompto by the end of his lesson he would warn Gladio and skip his duties to find the boys.

Ignis smells the smoke before he sees the grey haze drifting from the kitchen, the smell making him cough as he quickened his pace to see what was going on and whether he needed to sound the alarm before the fire could spread. When he pushed opened the door, Ignis stood mouth open in shock as he spotted the two boys he had spent the last hour or so searching for, standing in front of a heavily smoking oven while panicking. ''No, no, no!'' Noctis was muttering trying to open the oven door but being forced to close it because of the smoke coming out.

Prompto was slowly backing away, trying to drag Noctis with him and when he looked towards the door and saw Ignis looking in stunned silence Prompto pleaded, ''Ignis! Help!'' Prompto's pleas shook Ignis out of his shock as the teen moved towards the oven, shutting it down before turning on the oven fan, opening the oven door wide and falling back to drag Prompto and Noctis out of the room to somewhere with fresh air. He leaves both boys there with a strict growled, ''Dont move an inch!'' before he goes back into the kitchen and activates the fire suppression system that had been installed in every kitchen after the first fire accident. Once the guards arrive to take over, Ignis moves to stand before both smoked boys with crossed arms and asks, ''Do you have an explanation to offer your Highness? Or maybe you Prompto?'' Both of them share a sad glance before Noctis mutters, ''We just wanted to make a cake for Luna and Ravus….'' Ignis sighed, the anger and worry diminishing at the words and he found himself replying, ''A simple request for help would have sufficed your Highness. I must be on my way to my lessons but perhaps afterward I may be of assistance.'' He ignores the suddenly joyful expressions and adds, ''If you both help to clean up the mess you just made.'' Hopefully his presence tonight would prevent another fire from starting.

2\. 16 years old

It's his rare night off and Gladio had somehow convinced him to sneak out to drink at his place. Ignis is looking around him, half draped across one of the too comfy couches in Gladio's place as he tries to count the number of empty beer cans and wine bottles lying around, ''10,12,9…''Ignis mutters blinking in a vain attempt to make things stay still. Closing his eyes and leaning back with a groan, Ignis finally admits he's drunk and that means he needs to drink some water and eat something before going to bed. Gladio left a while ago, Ignis isn't sure how long as time seems strange to him right now, to get some more booze and some snacks but Ignis doesn't want to wait.

The drunk teen pushes himself up carefully, feeling the room tilt and shift with every breath and Ignis contemplates just dropping back on the couch when a sudden shout from downstairs has him running down to see what happened before he's fully conscious of the decision. His reflexes, despite being slowed by the alcohol, are the only thing that keeps him from tripping his way down the stairs and possibly cracking his head open. ''Gladio? Is everything ok?'' Ignis asks, holding onto the wall to keep himself from making close acquaintance with the carpet.

He find Gladio doubled over coughing beside a smoking oven and barely able to stand up against the counter. Ignis moves with practice ease despite the drunk feeling swimming in his veins, he moves to tug Gladio away from the smoke and into the living room then goes back to close the oven. Keeping an eye on the coughing teen behind him, Ignis goes about opening every window in the kitchen then the living room in order to allow the smoke to clear. The future adviser uses a wet rag to cover his mouth while carefully taking out what appears to be some kind of pie now a charred mess. With a drunken giggle at the sight, Ignis grabs two glasses and filled them with water then heads over to Gladio who wasn't coughing anymore. Ignis offers one of the glass to Gladio and asks, ''Do I want to know?'' Gladio drains the glass in one go and shakes his head. Neither of them remembers where the burnt pie comes from when they wake up with a horrible hangover the next morning.

3\. 19 years old

Ignis stepped out of the car and looked up at the house, double checking the address before he walks up to the door and knocks twice. He shifts where he stands, moving the files from one hand to the other while he waits for the door to open. When it doesn't, Ignis knocks again and waits. Still no answer. Frowning a bit, Ignis take out the key Lady Lunafreya had given to him and uses it to unlock the door. He stops at the entrance looking around before clearing his throat and announcing, ''Lord Ravus? His Majesty and Lady Lunafreya has asked me to bring you some documents.'' Ignis waits a bit and his frown deepens, Luna had assured him that Ravus was at home and would be there when he arrives as such to be receiving no answer from the older man was worrisome.

Ignis take off his shoes quietly, straining his hearing to see if he could figure out what was going on, instead his nose picked up the smell of smoke and Ignis hurries to find it source. He passes by the living room, spotting a spark of white lost among the overturned furniture but his attention is drawn to where a large amount of smoke was slowly pouring out of what Ignis assumed to be the kitchen. Ignis draws the neck of his shirt up to cover his mouth and nose and drops to his knees to crawl under the pouring smoke, trying to find the source and see what would be the best thing to do. He spots licks of fire emerging from the open oven door within moments of passing into the kitchen, looking around he is grateful to see a fire extinguisher within arm's reach. It takes Ignis several minutes to put out the fire with the help of the extinguisher; he unplugs the oven as a precaution as Ignis opens the window and his phone to report the fire to the Citadel.

As he turns around and head back to the living room, the fingers dialing the familiar numbers of the Marshall freeze as Ignis spot's the white spot he had almost forgotten while dealing with the fire. It was Ravus, unconscious and half buried under a sofa. The adviser swears, dropping the phone back in his pocket as his free hands presses the emergency button that would bring the Crownguards and a medical team to his location as quickly as humanly possible. Ignis drops down beside Ravus, eyes roaming to categorize any and all injuries the Tenebraen prince might be suffering. Ravus is face down on the plush carpet of his living room, his breathing appeared clear to Ignis though the blossoming bruise across his cheek was worrisome. Other than that, Ignis only finds some bruises and a broken leg before the team of Crownguards arrive to take over and Ravus is sent to the Citadel for treatment and protection. Ignis barely remembers to send Mrs. Argentum, Sylva, a quick message about Ravus' condition before he is swept up to be questioned as to the events since his arrival.

4\. 21 years old

Ignis groaned sleepily as he reached out to silence the sudden sound of his phone ringing. A quick look at the time displayed by it, 2 am, much too early for… Nyx Ulric? Ignis almost jumps out of his bed as he answer the call, ''Nyx? Whats wrong? Is his Highness alright?'' The silence that answers him is nerve racking until a female voice replies, ''Shit! Ignis? Sorry wrong number. I was trying to call Libs.'' Ignis exhales, leaning into his free hand as he recognizes the voice of Crowe Altiuss, the Kingsglaive top magic user.

''I see and why are you calling from Ulric's phone?'' Ignis asks tired, he heard drunken laughter coming from the other end of the call before Crowe replied, ''We're at Nyx's and we're too drunk to cook, we brunt everything so far, and none of our usual places are open, Libs usually cooks for us in these cases… Sorry for waking you up.'' Ignis leans back, he knew himself well enough that there would be very little point in him trying to go back to sleep with the adrenaline still running through his veins. With a sigh, Ignis makes his decision, ''I'll come by then, that way you wont have to wake Libertus up unnecessarily. Is there anything in particular you would like to have?''

Crowe is silent before she swears all too happily, ''Damn Ignis you're a bloody angel! Think you can manage Galadhian spices to make anak skewers?'' Ignis hummed in agreement before declaring, ''I'll be there in 15 minutes. Don't burn anything down before I get there.'' He should have known better. It takes him exactly 16 minutes to get dress and drive down to the latest expansion of the Inner Sanctum, as the old refugee district was now called, before he knocks on the apartment door that held the name late Ulric and Altiuss. Thankfully there isn't any loud music, just disjointed laughter coming from within the apartment and the particular smell… of smoke?

Ignis tries the doorknob, finds it unlocked and goes right in without waiting for an invitation. The apartment is covered in a small haze of grey smoke pouring out of where the kitchen stood and Ignis can hear Crowe and Nyx swearing from it. A bit afraid of what he'll find, Ignis walks over to the doorway and finds both drunken Glaives trying to put out a burning pan by dumping it under a stream of water. Ignis leans on the wall and sighs, ''I'm pretty sure I told you not to burn anything.'' Crowe and Nyx both jump and turn around, spotting Ignis and staring at him in confusion then embarrassment.

Ignis sighs, ''Grab a glass of water each, drink all of it then do it again. I'll deal with the pan and cooking seeing as neither of you are currently in any shape to do so yourselves.'' Nyx scratches the back of his head, ''Sorry Ignis, didn't mean to wake you up.'' The hero of Insomnia says, Ignis sighs, moving to stand by the sink and looks down at the smoldering pan. Crowe was already following Ignis' command, extending a glass to Nyx before dragging the man into the living room. Ignis calls out, ''Open all the windows while you're at it!'' Crowe replied, ''Yes Sir! Ignis Sir!'' which caused both Glaives to descend into a giggling mess of drunkenness. Ignis shook his head, discreetly taking a few pictures of the drunken duo before setting out to cook the anak as requested. At least he would have some blackmail pictures for the next time the Glaives decided to start trouble.

5\. 23 years old

Ignis wasn't sure what he expected when a maid silently dropped by to give him a note asking for the adviser to show up at the Citadel's third private kitchen, the one that had recently been renovated, after his last meeting that evening. The note isn't signed which is somewhat unusual and he quietly notifies Gladio in case Ignis gets into some kind of trouble with whoever sent the note. The rest of the afternoon passes by quickly, he has a quick supper with Noctis, Prompto and a slightly worried Gladio who asks if he should tag along later on before Ignis need to go to his last meeting set in the evening.

The meeting is about the upcoming trip the King had ordered Noctis to take while the Niflheim delegates would be in Insomnia for the signing of the peace treaty, details needed to be ironed out such as their schedule, the cost of the trip, the extensive PR related to sending the Crown Prince out to visit the rest of Insomnia when the King would be signing a peace treaty with the Empire. Ignis take down all the suggestion to pass along to Noctis in the morning and tries to keep the council men in check as some try to use the opportunity to pressure the prince into meeting their daughters or in some cases sisters. Finally, almost 2 hours later, Ignis finally makes his way to the meeting place given by his mysterious note.

Ignis carefully approaches the kitchen, moving quietly as he listened for any clue as to who had decided to call him out here. He hears at least 3 distinct voices but is too far to hear what is being said. Ignis looks around, the area is deserted and this specific section of the Citadel is undergoing various renovations which means that few people passed by and even less did so at this time of the evening. A nervous thrum of energy makes its way through Ignis' body and just as he resolves to walk boldly up to the kitchen, a great crash followed by shouts and swearing resounding through the empty corridor.

Ignis' jaw dropped as he recognized the raised voices now and hurried into the now smoking kitchen. The sight that greets him has him doubling over in laughter. Cor, Clarus and the king himself were trying to get the kitchen oven door to open as it smoked heavily. Ignis could see the small light that indicated that the oven's self-cleaning had been engaged by someone. As the panicking trio turned to look at the teary eyed Ignis dying of laughter, the fire alarm came on with its sharp alarm piercing through the silence outside the kitchen. ''My apologies your Majesty, Marshall, Sir Amiticia; were you the ones who asked for my assistance this afternoon?'' Ignis asked once he was able to grab hold of himself.

The older men shared a look before Regis nodded then winced at the blaring alarm. Ignis chuckled and quickly moved to unplug the oven which stopped the cleaning cycle and unlocked the door. Cor muttered, ''Should have thought of that…'' as Clarus looked down with a faint embarrassed blush; Ignis gracefully and politely ignored their reaction as he used the intercoms to reassure the staff there wasn't a fire but simply a mishap in one of the kitchens before turning to look at his king. Regis cleared his throat before explaining to Ignis the reason for his presence, ''I apologies for the odd request Ignis but I wanted to make some of those Tenebraen desserts my son is so found of and well…'' He motioned vaguely with his hand towards the oven. Ignis had to work to hide his smile before he turned to open the unlocked oven and look at what had previously been an attempt at baking those particular treats.

Ignis carefully took out the ruined pan and dropped it into the sink before filling it with water. He turned around to look at the surprisingly bashful adult and simply offered, '' Well why don't we go to another kitchen and I can show you how to make them?'' Regis sighed, ''That would be wonderful, thank you very much Ignis.''

6\. 18 years old

Ignis is yawning as he puts slips the cupcakes into the oven, double checking the temperature and then the timer he had set. Satisfied with the preparations, the college student and future adviser to Prince Noctis turned around to look at the piles of books set on his kitchen table. Exams were fast approaching and Ignis found himself unable to sleep between the stress of keeping up with his new schedule at the college and his continued duties as chamberlain of the Prince. He looked at the empty cans of Ebony and forced himself not to head to his fridge to take what would amount to his 25th can in 24h. A groan forced its way from his throat as he tried to remember when was the last time he had slept more than a few minutes but he came up blank, it must have been at least 2 or 3 days now perhaps more. Sitting down in in front of the text books, Ignis tried to concentrate on writing the 10 page essay due in the a week from now but he could barely remember the subject of it. Searching through the various papers now thrown across the table proved to be a nightmare as he couldn't find the paper with the instruction his teacher had provided.

A headache beat at his temple with every heart beat and Ignis wanted nothing more than to curl up in his bed to sleep but he didn't have the luxury to do such a thing as his boyfriend would soon be arriving to spend some much needed time together after a crazy week. Ignis barely remembers tucking his head between crossed arms and passing out. He only barely remembers the sensation of chocking on something think and sour as rough hands grabbed him and threw the barely conscious man unto thin shoulders. He doesn't remember the bright blue eyes looking down at him nor the voice pleading for Ignis to stay awake and breathe. The next thing he remembers with utmost clarity is waking up to warmth and feeling completely rested surrounded by the people he loved. ''You gave us quite the scare Specs.'' A deep calm voice sounded from beside him. Ignis turned his head to look at Gladio and raised a pointed eyebrow while shooting the blond and raven haired boys sleeping curled up beside the hospital bed a meaningful look. ''You either passed out or fell asleep with something in the oven. You're lucky he was on his way, a few minutes more and you might have had permanent damage done from the smoke.'' Ignis closed his eyes and whispered, his voice rough and raw from the smoke he inhaled, ''I'm sorry. I should have been more careful.'' Gladio huffed, '' Get some more rest, you'll need it when those two wake up.'' Ignis gave a small smile, closed his eyes and did just that.


	3. Meeting some Glaives

Prompto Argentum looked around with obvious glee as he slowly walked through the streets of Insomnia alone for the first time in quite a while. In one hand, Prompto had a cane to help him support his weight and in the other, Noctis' gift a new camera! Prompto stopped every few steps to take a picture of something or another. Sometimes it was a cat lying in the sun by a wall, sometimes it was a flower that bloomed alone among weed or even the way the sunlight was passing through the leaves of a tree. It wasnt the only reason for his slow pace, while his strength and mobility had improved since the incident during the summer, Prompto still found it hard to move around quickly and his legs were prone to sudden bouts of weakness at random times. It had taken quite some time to convince Ignis, Gladio, Noctis and his parents that he didnt always need someone with him when he wanted to move around but after almost 2 months of work, he was finally able to convince them to let him go into the city without an escort of some kind or another.

Of course, Prompto was really just walking through the streets without a goal, his dad had called him to ask if he could bring a bag he had forgotten in his office down to the refugee center in the Refugee District. Prompto had agreed to his father's request happily, using it as an excuse to head into the city alone. He did remember to send Noct a message letting him know that he wouldnt be meeting up with him until later before he went to grab his dad's forgotten bag. ''Hey Prompto, here to pick up what your dad forgot?'' asked Ms. Filen, his dad's assistant. Prompto nodded, ''Yup! I guess he was in a hurry when he left.'' Ms Filen hummed in agreement, ''Yes, a guard came by to ask he go see Lord Nox Fleuret, I believe the poor boy was having a bad day.''

Prompto frowned, it had been almost two months since Ravus and Luna had showed up with his mom and dad to the surprise and happiness of a lot of people but Ravus and Luna still had a lot of nightmares, Ravus more so then his sister. Sometime Ravus would have panic attacks that could last a long time unless Luna, his dad or his mom were around to help. Prompto had never seen Ravus in one of his attacks but he saw the worry that everyone shared about them. ''Oh, I hope dad was able to help.'' Prompto said, putting the forgotten bag over his shoulder and bidding a quick farewell to the lady.

The bus ride from the Citadel to the the subway station allowed him to think some more about Ravus' situation, Prompto saw Ravus and Luna almost everyday since their arrival either when his mom or dad would drag them too their home for supper or because Luna was spending a lot of time catching up with Noctis and Ravus had a hard time keeping calm unless he could see Luna or knew exactly where she was. The siblings had also been introduced to the weekly suppers and relaxed evenings that his mom insisted everyone took off. Those cheerful evenings where the only times Ravus seemed to relax completely, joining in on the games and seemingly ongoing competitions that spawned from week to week. Prompto almost felt like Luna and Ravus had become part of his family and he really didnt mind seeing them so often.

Pryna was often waiting by Prompto's door every morning, sometimes even managing to sneak into his room to sleep by his side, waking the boy up with wet kisses. Luna had joined Ignis and Gladio at their highschool, the Niflheim having kept up her education via private tutors for the sake of their pretense as Regent of Tenebrae but Ravus had not been offered such luxury and, combined with the trouble he was having with his panic attacks, Regis had offered Noctis' tutors while his son was at school. Prompto knew Luna was really worried about her brother but she didnt know what to do to help more then she already was. Luna had also started being tutored by his mom once a week about nursing things. They would often find themselves all together in the Royal Quarters with Prompto and Noctis ding homework with Ignis helping out while Ravus and his dad would talk or play chess. Luna and his mom would pour over thick medical books with his mom occasionally telling stories of patients she had deal with during her time working at the Insomnian Hospitals.

Prompto got off the bus at his stop, walking to short distance to the subway station while taking pictures and quickly found where he needed to get off in order to be close enough to walk to where his dad was waiting. Prompto smiled, he had just realized that he spent more time over at Noctis' rather then his own home but he also ended up seeing his parents every night. Prompto had to stop after he climbed back to the streets, stting down on one of the benches beside the station. Around him, the city was moving about as it did every other day, people going to or from work and shouts of children playing around could be heard. Prompto smiled as he took the peacefull atmosphere around him, it was almost hard to believe that 4 months ago Prompto was often alone at home and his parents rarely home because of their work. Now, he was friends with Noctis, Ignis and Gladio not to mention meeting the Oracle! Prompto looked through the pictures on his camera and smiled at his favorite one. It was a picture he had taken at the banquet in honor of Ravus and Lunfraya's arrival in Insomnia. Noctis had been glued to Luna's side all night long, even dancing with her on a few occasion. The picture showed what happened when Noctis had tripped and dragged Luna down on top on him, both red face and laughing as Ravus stood behind them with an exasperated look on his face. Prompto remembered the flustered look on Ignis' face as he hurried to help Noct and Luna up and made sure neither of them were injured.

Sudden shouts drew his attention away from his camera and Prompto quickly looked around to spot where they were coming from. It didnt take long to find it when a group of men were surrounding two young children while shouting at them. One of the children had dirty ball in their hands while the other stood protectively in front of them. Prompto go up, looking around to try and spot a crownguard or someone who could help he was surprised to see 3 crownguards just standing there watching the scene while doing nothing. Prompto shouted at them ''What are you doing? Stop them!'' at the guards only for one of them to look him up and down, stopping at his blond hair and snear, ''Shut up refugee brat! Its none of your damn business and whast happens to outsider is none of ours either.''

Prompto glared at the men who had returned to watching the scene casually. Prompto could hear one of the children start sobbing and did something that was starting to be quite the bad habit for him. He moved towards the scared children and called out, ''There you are! Your mom asked me to come get you. Come on, no point in making her worry any more then necessary right?'' Prompto's words acted as enough of a distraction as the men surrounding the children had turned to look at the person who dared to interfere, allowing the taller of th two to grab the other and slip through away and start running as fast as they could through a small opening in a nearby hedge.

Prompto smiled, satisfied that the children would be safe before he realized that he might start to get away too when one of the men shouted, ''Stupid brat! How dare you interfere!'' One of the other added, ''No manners at all but what can you expect from refugee bastards, running around while their moms open their legs to every men walking past.'' Prompto started taking a few shaky steps back only to have one of his legs collapse under him. ''Ouch!'' Muttered Prompto, as he glared at his leg. When he looked back up, Prompto was looking at the ugly, hate twisted face of the men now surrounding him, the young boy clenched his teeth, bringing his hands back up to protect himself from the raised fists he could see but it never came.

Instead Prompto found himself starring at the black covered back of a women wearing the Kingsglaive uniform. ''Whats the matter boys? Not so tough when your prey isnt a small child?'' Asked the woman in a teasing voice. Prompto watched in surprise as the Kingsglaive suddenly moved and did something that sent three of the men flying several feet back before collapsing moaning on the ground. The other men's face suddenly turned pale as they stared at the woman's hands, burning with magical flame before turning around and leaving just as quickly as they appeared. Prompto quickly checked that his camera and his dad's bag were ok before he shot a glance to where the Crownguards had been standing, only partially surprised to see it now empty and the three guards nowhere in sight. ''You ok kid?'' asked a gently voice.

Prompto looked back, a bit startled to notice the woman was kneeling in front of him offering a gentle smile to him. Prompto returned the smile,''Yup, thanks alot!'' He took the lady's offered hand and got back up carefully, his legs still feeling weak and Prompto had to rely on his cane a bit too much for his liking. ''You're Lance's son right?'' came the quiet question. Prompto looked up surprised and nodded, tilting his head curiously. The Kingsglaive answered the silent question, ''He helped out my brother after the daemon attacks when some of the Crownguards got over eager. I saw you and your mom when you brought some food to your dad.'' Prompto grinned,''Oh, I guess that explains it.''

The lady looked at Prompto then asked,''Need a lift anywhere? You look like you're about to collapse.'' Prompto winced before he replied, ''That might be a good idea, I dont think I'll be able to walk anytime soon.'' He pouted a bit, then shot a discreet glance at where the two children had disappeared. The woman caught the glance and smiled, "They'll be fine, the other side of the hedge is one of the cafe that Kingsglaive like to spend their down time at. So where are you going?'' Prompto nodded, thankful for the reassurance before he answered, ''Dad is waiting for me at the Refugee Center. Can you take me there?'' The lady nodded, ''Sure.'' She turned around, "Jump on, my bike is over there and I have an extra helmet for you to wear.'' she motioned to a bike, half haphazardly parked on the curb.

Prompto didnt hesitate to climb onto the offered back, wrapping his arms around the lady's neck while being careful with his cane. She got up easily, making sure Prompto was safely on her back before starting to walk, ''Oh sorry for not introducing myself earlier, I'm Irine. Whats your name?'' Prompto replied cheerfully, "Nice to meet you Ms Irine! Thanks for saving me. I'm Prompto!'' Irine grinned, ''I'm no Ms so just call me Irine.'' Prompto nodded against her neck, as they arrived to the motorcycle. Irine carefully helped Prompto down, making sure he wouldnt fall before opening the seat to grab her extra helmet. Once she had it and helped the boy put it on correctly, she straddled her bike and helped Prompto to climb up behind her. ''Hold on tight!'' She advised, making the motor purr before heading out.

It didnt take long for them to arrive at the Refugee Center, Irine taking him straight to the doors. A pair of Kingsglaive were guarding the doors, Irine took her helmet off and salute the pair by name, ''Vin, Ame! Is Lance around? His kid is here to see him.'' Prompto was a bit slower to take his helmet off, unsure where to put it once he did which was why he didnt noticed the surprised look that seemed to overtake the Kingsglaive looking at him for the briefest of moments before being schooled back into a more professional look. Ame coughed slightly before responding, ''Ya he is, wait a sec and I'll check where exactly.'' She quickly whispered into her radio and waited for an answer while Vin moved up to take prompto's helmet, leaving it on the handle before helping the blond boy off the bike and unto unsteady feet.

Irine grinned in amusement, seeing the way the two Kingsglaive seemed to look at Prompto as though he was the cutest thing they had seen with the messy hair and slight pout at noticing it in the bike's mirror. Prompto tried to clean up his looks quickly before going in to the Center, Vin smirked and offered, ''Need a hand with that?'' Prompto couldnt help the grin in answer as he chirped, ''Could you?'' Vin had to take a deep breath to prevent a blush from showing on his face, giving the boy a nod before helping Prompto style his hair.

By the time Vin was done, Ame had gotten an answer for Irine and her guest. She addressed Prompto directly, ''Your father is in the administration office on the second floor. Do you need a hand to get there?'' Prompto shook his head, ''Nope, thanks a lot for the help. You too Irine!'' He said with a smile before heading in to find his father. The three Kingsglaive looked as Prompto disappeared inside before Irine teased, ''If you think he cute now just wait till i tell you where I found him.'' With Vin and Ame's full attention on her, Irine told them about Prompto's action to protect two of the refugee children from a group of men. By nightfall, most of the glaives had heard the story and with Lance's growing reputation, Prompto became a bit of a celebrity among their tightly knit group.

Prompto moved carefully through the doors, making sure his dad's bag was secure over his shoulder as he walked into the Center. He was surprised to see how busy the place was, many families were waiting across the many benches, some of the adults filing paperwork while others watched over the children playing around. Prompto waved at some of the toddlers that looked at him walking along with a cane. He was a bit self conscious but forced himself to ignore it as he headed towards the stairs. A Kingsglaive met him half way, ''Prompto?'' the glaive asked, Prompto nodded in reply and received a smile, '' Your father asked me to bring you to him when he heard you were here. There's an elevator over here, it'll be easier for you then the stairs.'' Prompto smiled, of course his dad would think of that. ''Thanks. I'll follow you.'' The glaive smiled and took slow steps, matching Prompto's speed as he guided the boy to the elevator then the office where his father was waiting for him.

Lance grinned when Prompto came in then frowned when he saw the dirt on Prompto's clothes. ''Are you ok?'' was the first hing he asked, worried. Prompto smiled, nodded and replied while extending the bag his dad needed, ''Yup, thanks to Irine! Apparently you helped her brother?'' Lance waited but sighed when Prompto didnt clarify what had happened, ''I'm glad you arent hurt, whatever happened, but why dont you sit down and rest? You must be feeling tired by now. I'm almost done here and then I can drive us back to the Citadel.'' Prompto grinned and with a wave to the Glaive who had escorted him to his dad, went to sit down on one of the chairs, giving a small sigh of relief when he did. Maybe he wasnt as healed up as he thought. Lance reached over to pat his son's head for a bit before taking out what he needed from his bag and continued his work.

To Prompto's surprise, the glaive didnt leave instead sitting down beside him and asking, ''Thats a nice camera you got there.'' Prompto blushed, smiling widely and clutching the camera to his chest, ''Isnt it? Noct gave it to me!'' The glaive chuckled, ''That so? have you taken any picture yet?'' Prompto nodded and offered, ''Do you want to see them?'' When the glaive nodded, Prompto shifted and patted beside him, silently invited the glaive to sit beside him. When they did, Prompto turned his camera on and started showing him some of the pictures he had taken on his way here, explaining what some of them where or where he had taken them while the glaive made comments on how good they were. One of them got their eye and after carefully staring at it, ''Hey Prompto?'' Prompto turned to look at the glaive with a curious hum. The glaive stopped then asked, ''Do you think you could print this one out and send it to me? I think my sister would love it.'' Prompto was shocked, he ducked his head in embarrassment and muttered, ''Are you sure? Its not like I'm very good at this or anything...'' The glaive grinned and nodded confidently, ''Dont say that Kid, you're very good at this and it shows how much you love it too. I'll even pay you. Say 500 gills?''

The glaive shot a look at Lance who was watching the conversation with a proud grin on his face and Prompto followed the gaze to notice the same thing. Struggling a bit between his anxiety and the knowledge staring at him of how proud his dad was Prompto finally nodded and agreed, ''Ok if you're certain about it.'' The glaive grinned, "Perfect, we have a deal then!'' They got up, handing the camera back to the boy before taking their wallet out and handing him a 500 gill to the surprised blond. '' Just let me know when you printed it out and I'll come pick it up here from your dad.'' With an amused shake of his head, the glaive left the stunned boy clutching at his camera in one hand and the bill in the other to return to his work. Lance laughed, ''Congratulations Prompto! Looks like you have a fan!'' Prompto blushed deeply which made his father laugh even more, ''Well I'm done. Shall we go?'' The father and son left the Center soon after, Prompto bidding Ame and Vin goodbye without noticing the look of amused respect that Lance noticed when they replied to his son. Maybe because of that, Lance wasnt overly surprised when the glaives he worked with started asking about his son more often, some of them wanting to meet the boy and others expressed interest in the photos he took daily. He was even less surprised when a month after, he overheard Irine refer to Prompto as ''Their little mascot." to others and everyone simply glancing at Prompto with fond smiles. That night he told Sylva, ''I dont think we'll have to worry about Prompto getting into too much trouble when he grows up.'' He smiled at her confused look, ''The Glaives seem to have adopted him as their little brother slash mascot!'' Sylva looked at him stunned before laughing until she fell on the couch breathless, ''Thats our boy! Making friends with everyone!''


	4. The Call of Duty

It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining warm and comforting while a soft breeze kept the air from getting too muggy after the night's heavy rain. Prompto hummed as he played with his camera settings, looking through the viewfinder at the group spread across the Citadel's inner garden with obvious enjoyment at the weather. Noctis was sprawled on Luna's lap, eyes closed and almost purring as Luna braided his hair while humming. A click of the camera brought a grin to Prompto's lips as he quickly checked the picture, it was perfect.

He turned his most precious belonging towards the others spread across the green grass and beautiful flower beds, finding his next target with practiced ease. Ravus sat on one of the carved stone benches, reading slowly one of his ever present books, leaning on Gladio's back comfortably. A giggle passed through the photographer's lips as he used the zoom function to read the title of Gladio's book, A Thousand Ways to Ride a Chocobo, before he returned it to take a picture of how peaceful both avid readers were in that moment. "Enjoying the view?" A voice whispered right beside his ear. Prompto screeched, turning around to look at Ignis who was trying and failing to hide his amusement at Prompto's reaction.

"Iggy! Did you have to sneak up on me like that?" Prompto pouted, only barely preventing himself from crossing his arms in a huff. Ignis smiled and sat down beside Prompto, "My apologies but you looked so happy and content I couldnt resist." Ignis leaned over to drappe an arm around Prompto's shoulders, tugging him until the smaller boy was leaning against his chest. Prompto gave up trying to pretend he was angry at Ignis, lifting his head to press a small kiss on Ignis' jaw, "And to answer your question, yes. I am enjoying the view." Prompto answered with a grin. The camera went back up, Prompto adjusting the focus to where the King was talking with Ventus and Clarus in the veranda. All of them sitting around the table, papers pinned down by weight to prevent any of them from flying off in the breeze. Another click added another priceless memory to the ever growing bank of his personal gallery. Ignis smiled down at the sight of Prompto, sticking his tongue out in concentration as he expertly dealt with his camera in order to take the very best of pictures of their shared family.

ignis had to force his eyes away from his boyfriend to look over to where Sylva and Lance were tossing a frisbee around with Cor and was then that he noticed the man approaching them, he was dressed in the Citadel uniform but there was something odd about it. Ignis frowned standing up quickly; his movement drawing the attention of Gladio, Cor and Ravus. Ignis spots what was wrong with the man as it staggered closer. "MT!" Shouted Ignis just before the world exploded around him. Ignis threw himself on Prompto as the earth shattering wave of compressed air slammed into both men with enough force to throw them several feet away. The world was spinning and his ears buzzed with the aftershock of the explosion. Ignis gave a quick glance at Prompto, a cut across his cheek bleeding but awake and looking back at Ignis with wide frightened eyes, before twisting away to check on the rest of their group.

The garden was on fire, the ground shattered for several meters centering around where the MT had been standing, alarms were blaring and the garden was already filling up with Crownguards and staff but Ignis' eye were drawn to where his uncle had been sitting with the king mere seconds ago. "DAD!" a shout, Noctis his mind provided, as the prince ran towards what was left of the veranda. Ignis looked around, Gladio was slowly getting up from where he had thrown himself over Ravus, a metal piece sticking out from the middle of the Amiticia's back. Luna was following after Noctis and on the other side of the garden, Ignis could barely make out the four shapes of Sylva, Lance, Cor and Iris through the smoke. "Ignis are you ok?" Prompto asks, hand gripping tightly Ignis' shoulders and forcing him to look at the blond boy. Ignis has to blink several time to be able to focus properly on the worried look Prompto was giving him, he tried to speak but found that his words were slurring to both of their dismay. Prompto swore, tugging Ignis down to sit on the ground, "Stay here and stay awake!" He orders while waving at an approaching Crownguard, "We need a doctor over here, possible concussion and multiple face and back lacerations."

Ignis blinked, his eyes returning to where the veranda had stood and where his Prince was desperately digging through the collapsed building in search of his father. Part of Ignis wanted nothing more then to do the same, run down there and help dig out those buried under the wood,metal and stone; hoping that they had somehow survived the close proximity to the explosion but he knew the odds. An explosion of that size would have an almost instant kill radius of almost 100 meters and the veranda had been within that range. Ignis felt numb as he watched the chaotic movement of the guards swarming around the prince to help in the rescue effort, Ignis wanted to say it was pointless, that it was too late for them when a shout of joy was raised. "They're alive! We need doctors here now!" Noctis was on his knees, cradling a bloody form and the blue tint of magic cutting through the smoke easily.

Prompto's hand were still on him, an anchor for Ignis to hold onto as he watched as Sylva knelt by the barely visible form of three unconscious men, helping the doctors to treat the injuries so they could be transported to the infirmary safely. Ignis only then notices Prompto talking to him, "..Gy? Iggy? Can you hear me?" Prompto was pleading to him. Ignis blinked, slowly turning to look at his worried friend. "Prom?" His voice was low, almost whispered but Prompto gave a relieve sigh, "Do you think you can stand? We need to get you to the infirmary." he asked. Ignis frowned, his attention suddenly drawn to the sight of Gladio being helped by Ravus and a Crownguard to walk towards the Citadel. The prince's Shield had a hastily tied bandage across his chest, looking pale and breathing heavily. Prompto had to snap his finger in front of Ignis to regain his focus and Ignis remembered the question, he nodded to Prompto and tried to stand up. Ignis swayed as he pushed himself back up to his feet and it was only by the quick action of the guard that Ignis didnt collapse once more.

Prompto and the guard shared a glance as each of them grabbed one of Ignis' arms to slide onto their shoulders before helping the heavily concussed adviser make the trip to the infirmary. Ignis loses track of time and where he is. One moment he is walking across the burning garden, the next he's leaning against a corridor wall, vomiting into a garbage can then he's lying down on a bed, a flashlight blinding him while someone is holding unto his hand tightly. The next 24 hours pass in a flurry of half remembered moments and thoughts. When his mind is able to retains information and Ignis finally wakes up from the concussion induced state of confusion, the first thing he sees is Noctis and Prompto curled up against Gladio.

"Hey Specs, you finally with us?" whispers the Shield as he notices the look on Ignis' face, a nod from the adviser seems to be enough for the large man as his body relaxes and he offers Ignis a smile. "About time, you had us all worried." Gladio lifted an hand off his book to gently wake up the sleeping boys. Prompto wakes up with a startled hurry, looking around before he spots Ignis awake and nearly jumps on the man. "Ignis! You're awake! How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Ignis welcomes the over eager boy in his arm, clear his dry throat before answering, "I'm sorry for making you worry. I was not my intention at all." He stops as a cough is forced through his dry throat and a glass of ice and water is offered to him by a worried Noctis, "Here drink first and listen." The Prince orders firmly.

Noctis sits on the edge of bed, Gladio moving his chair closer and with Prompto leaning carefully against him, Ignis feels much better as he sips from the cup slowly. Noctis is the one who explains what happens during the last day. "I dont know how much you remember so I'm just going to say everything. We were in the garden yesterday with Dad and the others when you spotted an MT who somehow managed to get into the Citadel dressed as one of the staff. The Crownguards and the Kingsglaive are still investigating how that happened. You were able to give enough of a warning for me to raise a shield around myself and Luna while Gladio threw himself over to Ravus and you did the same for Prompto. We think Clarus did the same with your Uncle and Dad because he took the worst of the blast." Noctis stops and looks over to Gladio with worry and sadness in his eyes. Gladio looks down and says, " He did his job as a Shield." Ignis fears what he might hear next as Noctis turns back to continue speaking, " Its a miracle that no one died but it was a close thing for Clarus. Dad's got a new scar on his shoulder but that was the only injury he got, your uncle took a blow to the head and had some internal bleeding but the doctors expect a full recovery."

Ignis allows himself to sink into the pillows behind him in relief, putting the empty cup away to drag Noctis and Prompto into a hug, " And all of you?" he asks to his friends and family. Noctis and Prompto smile reassuringly while Gladio grins and flexes his arms, " Luna fixed me up once she was done with His Majesty's injury since the docs didnt want her to over do things in case there were more attacks. " Ignis jerks at the mention of other attacks and Prompto is quick to reassure him, " There were none, Uncle Cor has everyone on high alert for now just in case but it seems like it was a one time thing." Ignis turns the information in his mind, " Perhaps a test then? To see if the MT could make its way into Insomnia or the Citadel unseen." Noctis nods in his arms, " Cor said the same thing. He assigned extra guards across the city just in case and ordered the press to keep quiet about the attack for now."

Ignis then asks, " What about Clarus? You told me he is alive but I feel as though you have not mentioned something important." Gladio tenses at the edge of his vision and Ignis knew he was right, " How is your father really?" Gladio doesnt speak for a while then his body hunches over on himself and he replies, " We dont know yet. Dad lost a lot of blood and his heart stopped at least 3 times while they were operating on him. There was a lot of swelling in his brain and they had to put it a drain to try and relieve the pressure. Luna also tried to help but she could only stop the bleeding." Gladio stops, takes a deep breath and announces, " The doctors dont know when or even if he'll ever wake up again. It could be tomorrow, in a week or a year or even never..." Ignis wants to reach out to Gladio but he knows that the young man dislikes being touched when he is so emotional and settles for whispering, "I'm so sorry Gladio. I should have noticed the MT sooner." Gladio shakes his head, "Dont do that Specs, no one except you noticed what was wrong and if you hadnt warned us then his Majesty probably would have died."

Ignis knows Gladio is saying the truth but he still feels somewhat responsible for the injuries Gladio's father had sustained. if he hadnt been so distracted by Prompto... Ignis forces himself to stop his mind from following that line of thought and refocuses unto the boys around him. He notices the bags under everyone eyes and the worry etched into their gaze. "When was the last time you ate properly? Or slept?" Ignis asks, a small shake of his head following when his friends all looked down embarrassed. With a sigh, Ignis calls for a nurse so he can be discharged. Thankfully the doctors agree that he is fit to leave and he can drag his lovers away from the infirmary and to the Prince's quarters for some proper rest and food. The semi return to a somewhat normal pattern of thinking helps calm Ignis further and the naps he takes, cuddled against everyone is enough to restore his calm completely.

The King is allowed to return to his work the next morning with strick instruction to limit the movements in his right shoulder for the next week. Sylva is quick to add that if he doesnt listen to the doctors, she would gladly remind him of the importance of taking care of his body. Regis nods solemnly and tries his best not to use his right arm unless absolutely necessary. Ventus is allowed to leave the infirmary but only to return to rest in his own home for the next 2 days while his injuries finish healing properly. Ignis is the one who drives him to his apartment and leaves him in the safe hands of his wife, Ignis' Aunt. Ventus looks at Ignis before his nephew leaves, "I'm leaving his majesty in your hands for now Ignis. Please take care of him and the prince while I'm gone." Ignis is surprised by the request and bows to his uncle, " I'll do my best Uncle. Please relax and rest properly. I will contact you should I require help on a matter." A kiss goodbye by his aunt and Ignis leaves to return to the Citadel.

Gladio and Iris have been staying at the infirmary as much as they can without disregarding their duties as Amiticia's. Cor take's over as the King's Shield after a long discussion between him, Regis and Gladio while Ravus and Luna both gain extra security in forms of Kingsglaive assigned to them. The days pass quietly as the investigation of the leftovers from the self destruction of the MT finds no trace of a daemon within its metallic remains. The Crownguard were able to determine that the MT had been broken down outside of Insomnia walls, shipped to a empty warehouse and then rebuilt there but when they raided the warehouse in question, the place was completely empty and the investigation hit a dead end.

Days turned into a week and then two, the Amiticia household arranging for someone to stay by Clarus' bedside at all times day and night both to support the increasingly worried siblings and in the hopes that their presence could help their Master wake up quicker. Noctis, Prompto and Ignis tried to keep Iris and Gladio's spirit up as time passed by without any change in their father's condition but every time Luna, Noctis or even Regis tried to heal Clarus with no result, Gladio would become more withdrawn and Iris more frantic in their everyday lives. After a full month of waiting for news, Gladio was woken up in the middle of the night by Iris screaming for a doctor across from him. Fearing the worst, Gladio jumped up from where he had fallen asleep on a chair to hurry by his sister side. A single look at his father face had Gladio almost collapsing unto the floor. Clarus had opened his eyes!


	5. The Call of Duty 2

Everyone is awake and by Clarus' bedside within the hour, fussing over the still groggy man and waiting to see what the doctors will say once the result of their examination came back. Iris is glued to his right side, having taken her father's arm and draped it over her so she could huddle on his chest while Gladio was staying on his other side, holding Clarus' left hand in his own. Regis was relieved when he was greeted by name at his arrival, ''I'm glad to see you finally woke up old friend. Your presence has been missed.'' He whispered, reaching out to pat his Shield on the knee. Clarus give Regis a grin and replies, voice still rough but stronger than anyone had expected after the month long coma, ''Nothing can keep me away from your side for too long.''

Cor nodded to Clarus as well, ''As much as I've enjoyed being the King's Shield, I certainly won't miss all the boring meetings.'' Clarus shoots an amused glance at Cor but before he can reply a doctor followed by Sylva enters the packed room. Sylva looks around half amused as she walks up to Clarus, ''Sorry Iris but I need you to move if you don't mind.'' Iris shakes her head, give her dad a quick kiss and steps down from the bed to go sit by Jared. The doctor moves to stand in front of Clarus' bed, ''It might be better if we could talk privately.'' But Clarus shakes his head, ''Whatever you have to say you can say in front of them. '' He is the King's shield and as such his health matters to the kingdom, he had long learnt that he couldn't keep any trouble private as anything could be potential for weakness, something he could not allow.

Sylva can see Gladio and Iris share a concerned glance as most of the attention shifts to her colleague as the doctor continued, ''Very well. Sylva if you would?'' Sylva hummed as she finished preparing what was needed, it looked like two slim bars with a spring in between. She extended it to Clarus, ''Take it in your left hand and squeeze as much as you can.'' Clarus raised an eyebrow but did so without any trouble other then what was expected of a man who had spent the last month unconscious. Sylva instructs Clarus to go through a few more exercises while everyone except for the doctor looks on with increasing confusion before she then ask him to change hands. ''Do the same exercises with your right hand.'' She instructs and waits as Clarus moves his right arm slowly to take the instrument as Sylva asked.

Iris gasps, bringing her hands to her mouth as Gladio rises from his seat in shock as his father can't even grasp the bar before they slip through his extremely weak hand. Regis is staring in shock then turns to the doctor and demands, ''Explain!'' The doctor bows to his king and does so calmly, ''The tests done when Lord Amiticia woke up showed some generalized weakness on his right side, they seem mostly concentrated on his arm and his hand.'' The doctor turns to look at the distraught Clarus and offers the little good news he has, '' We believe that the damage can be undone with physiotherapy for the most part but considering you have had several brain injuries in the past it is highly likely there will be permanent damage left. It is impossible to predict how much or how long it will take for you to recover Lord Amiticia and as such, I recommend that you be removed from your position as King's Shield effective immediately.''

The outrage that the recommendation sparked within the room flew over Clarus as the man was stuck staring at the hand that had failed him. He was barely aware of Gladio starting to scream at the doctor only to be restrained by Ignis and Prompto, both trying to calm their friend down. Regis was staring at Clarus, seeing the stunned shock and he found himself pushing away all his emotions to deal with later, ''Everyone out! Now!'' He barked, glancing around to make sure everyone understood that he was being quite serious. The king motioned for Cor and Ventus to stay and then after some hesitation did the same to Sylva who had not budged from her stop and only crossed her arms. He ignored the outraged look Iris, Gladio and even his son was sending him, his mind concentrating on the way Clarus' breath was too calm and forceful as his oldest friend and Shield tried not to panic at the news that his reason of being might no longer be something he could do. Regis waited until the room was mostly empty, Cor standing on guard at the door and Ventus taking over the seat Gladio had vacated in his anger before he moved to sit beside Clarus. He called out to the man, ''Clarus, look at me please.''

It take a few minutes before Clarus even registers his King's order; no, his friend's request. Clarus lifts his eye to meet Regis' and watches as Regis reaches out slowly to pick up his traitorous hand. Never taking his eyes of the man who had stood by his side for so long, Regis ask Sylva, ''Sylva what is your take on this?'' Sylva, who has made herself at home where Jared at been moments ago, already looking through all of the medical records for Clarus instead of simply what the doctor had on hand when she arrived for her shift, didn't look up before she replied to the predictable question, ''As a Nurse or as a friend?'' Regis almost growls in annoyance but forces himself to keep calm and specify, ''Both.''

Sylva smiles and looks up to watch Clarus carefully as she starts giving her own opinion on the situation, '' As a nurse, my opinion is that the doctor is mostly correct. The bleeding and swelling in his brain was severe, combine with his month long coma it means that he needs to get through some serious physiotherapy before anything else can be done. The most concerning thing is the repeated concussions he's had before from training and previous attempts at your life Regis.'' She waits to see if her friends had understood her words, continuing once she sees that they have and double checking with Clarus to confirm, '' My personal opinion is that the doctor is underestimating Clarus quite a bit.'' She smiles and continuing, ''You are going to have to do a lot of physiotherapy but I think it's way too early to say what you'll be able to regain with it. I would suggest starting to concentrate on regain your strength after a month of forced bed rest before starting to worry about the rest.'' Sylva could almost see Clarus relax and the tension fly out of the room at her words.

Ventus gets up, '' I don't see any reason for us to take a decision at this point in time concerning Clarus' fitness as Shield other than the usual reminder to do his best to rest. '' Cor nodding his agreement to the sentiment, '' I guess I'll keep doing your job for you until you're ready to come back. So don't worry about Regis and just focus on getting better, I have no interest in dealing with those old bores more than absolutely necessary.'' Clarus is able to laugh at Cor's teasing words, his body relaxing back into the bed as exhaustion starts making itself known, Regis smiling at the sorely missed sound before getting up as well, ''Well then, I suppose that take care of that. Clarus! This is an order from your King. Hurry up and get better, you're the only one I desire as my Shield. No offence meant Cor.'' Clarus gives his best bow from his lying state, eyes a bit misty from his king's declaration while Cor huffs in mock hurt but having a wide smile on his face. Sylva watches them all leave before she goes to allow a worried Iris and Gladio back in with strict instructions not to keep him up before she heads off to start coming up with a proper physiotherapy plan with the man who usually deals with the Amiticia's.

Clarus quickly regains his strength from before the explosion except for in his right arm despite the physiotherapist's best attempt to work on increasing the strength and despite Gladio stepping in to help his dad as much as he can with training. Clarus is disgusted with himself as he stands in the training hall of the Citadel alone in the early hours of the morning. He looks at the lightest of the wooden training swords, lying still at his feet after the man had dropped it for the hundredth time in the last hour. Clarus closes his eyes tightly, fighting hard to keep his calm and bends back down to pick the sword up again. He looks at the cracked edge and remembers having a smaller version of this sword made for Gladio as 4th birthday present, the day he sat down with his son and told the boy his destiny and their family legacy. He remembers all too well the look of glee when Gladio was told he would be learning how to fight, that joy transforming into pure determination as he grew up and took pride in his family name.

Clarus grits his teeth and transfers the sword slowly into his right hand, keeping the left one on the handle for the moment. He takes up a wide stance, catching his reflection on the mirrored walls and stops, another memory interrupting his self-imposed practice. Iris standing as he was, alone among their manor's training hall working through a set of sword swings Clarus didn't remember teaching her. When his wife had died, she had made him promise to allow Iris to choose her own path whether to become part of the Crownguard or to do something outside of the family legacy and so Clarus had not trained Iris as he had Gladiolus. He had explained to her what it meant to be an Amiticia, she also would be one after all but had no offered to train his baby girl nor had he told her not too. The years had started to pass, Iris never asked for training and so finding his daughter swinging a sword almost as tall as she was with the ease of one who had done the movements many time before had been a shock to her father. Clarus had opened the door at the time, took his own practice sword and took a stance in front of his girl. Iris' eyes had sparkled at his presence and the unspoken challenge from her father. That morning, Gladio found them both eating breakfast and commented on the cut Clarus had on his cheek.

''Lost in memories old friend?'' Asks a soft voice bringing him sharply back into the present, Clarus turning to face the intruder and then relaxing when he saw who it was. Ventus Scientia leaned against the door of the training hall, face calm and relaxed while he took a sip from a steaming cup of what Clarus presumed to be coffee. ''Well?'' Ventus prompted when Clarus didn't reply. The tall man chuckled, turning back to pick up his stance again, '' I don't know whether you know me too well or if I'm becoming predictable in my old age.'' Was the reply drawing an almost exasperated sigh from the adviser. ''You are being foolish Clarus. Put that sword down before you hurt yourself.'' The words are sharp and exactly what Clarus didn't want to hear, his already frayed temper snapping and Clarus turns with a roar of anger on the man who dared order him.

Ventus doesn't hesitate, slipping beneath the first swing of Clarus' practice sword, the wood clacking and chipping against the metal door, and emerges at the man's back still holding unto his cup without spilling a drop. ''Really? Honestly Clarus, if this is the best you can manage after all the work Sylva, Luna and the medical team have been doing for you then perhaps it is time to consider your permanent replacement after all.'' The words are delivered in a deadpan tone of voice that Ventus used when dealing with council members he considers to be extremely foolish or childish and Clarus is all too aware of that when he follows with another attack only to see Ventus slip away once more.

Ventus keeps pushing Clarus with his every words, drawing the man into a thoughtless rage that leaves the sword broken and Clarus panting in exhaustion, glaring hard at Ventus who hardly looks out of breath in sharp contrast to his own disgusted state. He keeps the glare on the adviser as Ventus sits down beside the exhausted man ask offers a water bottle before asking, ''Feeling a bit better?'' Clarus drinks from the offered bottle deeply before answering, ''Screw you.'' Ventus simply smiling in amusement, '' Self-pity does not suit you in the least my friend. Though I must ask your forgiveness for my cruel words.'' Clarus sighs, taking another swing of the water, ''Get me one of those limited edition moogle plushies for Iris' birthday and I'll consider it.'' Ventus gave Clarus a look before giving his own sigh, ''Very well I will see what I can find.'' He acknowledges before both men return to looking at the mess they had made of the room through the shattered remains of the mirrors.

''Why did you really come here?'' Asks Clarus after a while. Ventus puts his empty cup down and tells him, ''I believe you need to start considering the possibility that you may never regain the strength in your right arm or hand.'' He puts a hand up to prevent Clarus from interrupting, '' Let me finish please. As I was saying, there has been no improvement despite what everyone has done to try and help you regain it since you woke up. Sylva thinks it might still happen but the brain is a rather delicate thing and rather unpredictable at best when it comes to its healing. I wish to know if you have considered what you would do if this becomes a permanent situation for you.'' Clarus looks down glumly, his anger has faded and Ventus is correct, as he often is, which leaves Clarus shaken as he seriously considers the possibility that he will no longer be able to stand beside his king and friend as Shield. The future he imagines is bleak and lifeless, Clarus had dedicated his whole life to his duty and to have that striped away from him leaves him empty and frightened as to what would happen next. ''If it comes to that…. I do not know what I'll do… I have very little use outside of my functions as Shield.'' He admits both to himself and to Ventus in that empty broken down room.

Ventus nods, as though he had predicted this exact response and as far as Clarus knew maybe he had, which is why Ventus' next words catch him by surprise, ''Then don't give up.'' Clarus almost gives himself a whiplash with how quick he turns to stare at the infuriatingly calm man beside him. ''What?'' Clarus strangles out, not quite believing his ears, Ventus chuckles and start to get up, ''If you believe the best way for you to be of use to Regis as a friend is to stay by his side as his Shield as you have since childhood then don't give up. If you cannot use a sword then find something you can use. Surely the Amiticia's don't rely solely on a single weapon to protect their King's life?'' The adviser leaves the stunned man with those words and heads to meet his king for the first meeting of the day. Clarus stares at empty space left by the adviser, turning the words around in his mind and then collapses unto his back with a near hysteric laugh, ''THAT BASTARD!''

Clarus find Cor the next morning and tells him, ''Its time for me to return to my rightful place by the King's side.'' Cor looks at his fellow Crownguard, looking at the new found confidence in his stance and eyes then smirks, '' Is that so? Then why don't you prove it?'' He grins and leads the way into the training yard. A single glance from the Marshall puts a stop to the training of the men already there, all of them moving to free up the hall for the confrontation. Cor fell in his favorite stance, hand on the handle of his sword, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Clarus simply smirks and waits patiently with no weapon in hand. The tense silence and motionless position lasts for a few breathless moments before Cor strikes, his sword being drawn out of its scabbard so fast it was nearly invisible only to be stopped by the Amiticia family shield attached firmly to Clarus' right arm while his left held a short sword firmly in its grasp. The sword swings down toward Cor sharply, forcing Cor to dodge the blow by jumping backwards. The two men quickly fall into a rhythm of blows, blocks and counters, neither getting an advantage over the other and neither men willing to admit defeat until a familiar voice stops them mid blow with amused calmness, ''Cor, Clarus hurry up! We'll make his Majesty wait at this rate!'' Ventus stood looking stern by the entrance, hands filled with paperwork and only the slightest hint of a smile visible to his friends. Both soldiers exchange a look and bow to each other, Cor extending a hand and whispering to the other, ''Welcome back, King's Shield.''


	6. The Talk and Date

A/N: Gladio and Ignis are around 15 years old.

Ignis checked in the mirror for the fifth time, then checked the time on the clock for the seventh. He had spent almost a full week debating what to wear for today's occasion even going as far to inquire his Uncle's advice on the matter. He winced mentally as he recalled that particular conversation. Uncle Ventus might be an extremely intelligent man, and the King's chosen adviser but that did not make him immune to bouts of fatherly concern and panic especially when his only nephew starts talking about dating and what being in love feels like.

Ignis pinched himself to force his mind away from the embarrassingly painful memories and with a last glance at the mirror in his room. He passed by his Uncle and Aunt with a waved goodbye, sending a quick text to inform them of his departure as he headed towards their meeting place. He had checked the schedule several times to ensure he would be on time even if there is an unexpected problem along the way.

Gladio's preparations were the exact opposite of Ignis' in almost every way. He wakes up at his usual time, does his usual morning routine before a reminder on his phone tells him not to forget about his schedule for the day. With a hum, he messes Iris' hair as she eats breakfast, ignoring with obvious practice the screech of outrage that follow before he asks, '' Got a date, can you help pick something good for me to wear?'' The sound of a spoon falling on the table breaks the sudden silence filling the dining room and Gladio finally notices his dad was there as well. '' Oh, sorry dad, didn't see you there. How are you?'' Gladio says apologetically as he reaches out to fill his plate for breakfast.

Gladio's attention was returned to Iris when she squealed, jumping from her seat to latch onto her brother's arm. ''You have a date? Who is it with? Where are you going? Do I know them?'' Gladio laughed at his sister's questions and grins back, ''I do, I'm not telling and maybe.'' Before Iris can ask more questions Clarus clear his throat and asks, ''Gladio, if I could talk to you privately after breakfast?'' Gladio looks at his dad in confusion before he nods, ''Sure Dad.'' Gladio gently pushes Iris off and starts eating, leaving Iris to pout for a bit before she started thinking out loud about what he should wear and where he should go. Gladio simply hums at the right places more interested in the food then his outing.

The talk after breakfast has Gladio almost running out of his father's office in order to leave the house as quickly as possible. He was going to be very early but there was no way he would be able to look his dad in the eyes for a few days! Gladio huffed in annoyance as he made his way slowly to the meeting place. He knows that his date won't mind if he's late to their date. Gladio groans as the thought of the date reminds him of the talk his Dad just gave him; this was going to be so embarrassing.

The appointed time arrives and Ignis is patiently waiting for his partner to arrive, looking through his phone as he checks in with his highness. '' I'm sorry Ignis!'' came a voice causing Ignis to look up and give the approaching form a soft smile. A young girl with dark brown eyes and red hair shows up panting, slightly out of breath after having run in order to arrive in time. ''Please do not worry about it Gloria. I have only just arrived myself. Are you alright? Do you require anything?'' asked Ignis gently, moving towards his companion for the day. Gloria shook her head, taking a few deep breaths before standing straight and smiling at Ignis. Ignis returned the smile with his own and offered her his arm, ''Well then, shall we be on our way?'' Gloria blushed a bit before taking the offered arm with a hesitant touch.

Gladio arrives a few minutes after the arranged time and see his date waiting for him. With an apologetic grin, Gladio jogs easily over to them, ''Sorry I'm late Helios. I lost track of time. How are you?'' Helios smiled as he watched Gladio approach before replying, ''Dont worry about it Gladiolus. So where are we going?'' Gladio grins as he looks slightly down to the shorter man beside him. ''Dont know. What do you want to do?'' Helios thinks about it before offering, ''I know a good coffee place not too far from here. Is that ok?'' Gladio nods, '' Lead the way!'' Both boys grinned to each other as they started walking down the street in comfortable silence.

Ignis smiles while walking, making polite small talk with the young lady at his arm while gently guiding her the short way to their destination. When they arrive across the street, Ignis smiles and declares, '' And here we are. I do hope you'll enjoy it.'' Gloria gasps in delight, ''Ignis! How did you know I wanted to come here? Thank you!'' In front of the couple was a small house that had been recently converted into a professional one of a kind café. The front was inconspicuous, looking like every other house on that street except for the sign on the front lawn reading, Blue Sky Café!

Ignis gently guided Gloria across the street and in through the front door, a small chime welcoming their arrival and a waiter dressed in a black and white suit hurried to greet them, ''Welcome to Blue Sky Café! How many will you be?'' The welcome was obviously rehearsed but it didn't affect the genuine warmth and pleasure the young man exuded. Ignis replied, ''I called earlier to make a reservation for Scientia. '' The waiter nodded and looked through an open book, ''Ah yes here it is! Please this way!'' Gloria looked overwhelmed with joy, a new bounce in her steps as she tugged Ignis with her while following the waiter. They passed by a few closed rooms, sounds of murmured talks and other sounds mutted through the thick doors and walls until the waiter opened one and motioned for them to enter. ''I hope you enjoy your time here, someone will be along shortly to take your orders!'' With a shared smile, Ignis and Gloria walked into the room with barely concealed excitement.

Gladio followed Helios as he looked around; the street was quiet and mostly residential but Helios didn't hesitate at all as he moved towards a specific place. There was a simple but beautifully carved sign that gave the name of the café to any who passed by, '' I heard about this place. It's supposed to be pretty amazing.'' Said Gladio, putting an arm around Helios with a hum of approval. Helios gave a small blush and snuggled closer to Gladio, '' I came here when it opened, it's as good as the rumors say. I promise!'' Gladio chuckled, ''Hey no worries, I believe you. Now let's go in.'' The duo entered the café with a smile and a waiter was just coming back from the side passage.

''Welcome! How may I help you?'' The waiter asked in greeting, Helios grinned and asked, ''Do you have any places for two?'' The waiter checked on his small table and nodded, '' Indeed we do. Any preferences on where you'd like to spend your time?'' Helios tilted his head backwards to look at Gladio who just shrugged before replying, ''Doesn't look like it so where ever you have the most places please!'' The waiter nodded with a smile, checked once more the papers he had on the table and then motioned for them to follow him. They both did with ease, stopping at a few of the doors to glance through the window and smile at the sights within before continuing on their way. The waiter brought them to one of the farther doors and opened it with a bow, '' Please enjoy your time here! Someone will be by soon to take your orders.''

Gladio followed Helios in only to have something small and fuzzy jump up into his face. His reactions from years of training had him moving to grab the thing before it got too close but he couldn't totally stop the instinctual reaction of pulling Helios behind him as though to protect the boy. Helios burst out laughing as he caught a look at what Gladio had grabbed from midair and when Gladio's mind caught up to what it saw, Gladio had to physically prevent himself from howling in laughter. In his hands, dwarfed by the sheer size difference was a small puppy holding a rather familiar object in its small mouth. ''Gladio?'' An all too familiar voice said in surprise and Gladio grinned when he spotted its owner. '' Hey Specs! Lost something I see.''

Helios moved and gently grabbed the jiggly puppy from Gladio, holding it closely and gently prying the saliva soaked glasses from its tiny mouth. Ignis accepted the glasses with his usual grace despite the chuckles present around him including from Gloria who had slapped both hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop her laughter. Gladio raised an eyebrow and made a small head motion towards the hopelessly laughing girl moving to stand beside Ignis. '' Gloria, please meet an old friend of mine, Gladio. Gladio this is my lovely companion Gloria.'' Gladio smiled at the lady and introduced his own date in return, '' Helios this is Ignis, Ignis this is my date Helios.'' Both greeted each other and soon everyone found themselves sitting on the benches or on the floor playing with the puppies and kittens that covered the floor and climbed up everywhere in the specially designed room. The two dates became a double date as a waiter passed by the room to take orders of beverages and snacks, Gladio allowing Helios to order for him while Ignis ordered for himself and his companion.

Hours later, Ignis and Gladio walked their dates to the nearest metro station and after bidding each other fond farewells, the friends found themselves alone together. They walked slowly in comfortable silence before Gladio asked, '' Are you going back to your Uncle's tonight?'' Ignis glanced at the taller teen, taking in the relaxed and contented look plastered on the Prince's Shield's face. '' Not tonight no, His Highness has requested I drop by to make some snacks. Prompto is going to be there as well.'' He replied with an exasperated sigh. Gladio looked at Ignis then looked around him quickly, he found the streets empty and with a grin; Gladio reached out and grabbed Ignis by the forearm. ''Follow me then!''

Ignis was quite surprised but he did do as Gladio asked, following his lead as the taller boy moved quickly through the side streets until they reached a park at the edge of the Citadel. Ignis sighed as he recognized it as a popular spot for lovers to use for romantic rendez-vous. '' Honestly Gladio, is this really such a good idea?'' Ignis muttered but Gladio only grinned and continued walking towards the place. Ignis found himself quickly surrounded by the thick smells of flowers and earth and his body relaxed as his mind catalog everything with its usual efficiency. Gladio stopped after a few minutes of walking and gave Ignis an overly exaggerated bow towards the small empty space that was out of sight as so many nooks were within the park.

Gladio followed Ignis and they soon found themselves pushed tightly together within the space. Gladio shifted and sat down on the bench, pulling Ignis to sit on his lap and Ignis had to put his arms around Gladio's neck to keep himself from falling at the sudden change of position. Gladio nuzzled Ignis' neck as he whispered, '' You wont believe what happened this morning.'' Ignis biting back a pleasured sigh at Gladio's action, taking a few moments before he replied, ''And what was that?'' Gladio grinned and told him, '' Dad freaked out when he heard I had a date this morning so he gave me the Talk. It was horrible.'' The teen shivered in disgust at the memories of this morning's conversation with his father. Ignis chuckled and gently pushed Gladio away to lean and give him a quick kiss on the tip of his nose, '' My Uncle did the same two days ago. I believe his was just as bad as your father's attempt.''

Gladio hummed at the kiss then raised an eyebrow, '' Shall we compare then?'' Ignis looked surprised but found a smirk spreading all too quickly, '' Loser has to go buy supplies for our next night together?'' He offered as terms. Gladio grinned and nodded, ''Agreed. I'll start.'' He cleared his throat and while imitating his father's voice to the best of his ability Gladio recounted the conversation from earlier this morning. ''… And then he told me 'Son, we Amiticia's have always been big in all aspects, as such you must be prepared to control your actions even when with someone in an intimate fashion…'' Ignis was laughing, almost doubled over as Gladio related his experience; Ignis could easily imagine Clarus saying those things.

When Gladio finished his story, Ignis had to wait until he had caught his breath before recounting his own tales of woes. He didn't try to imitate his Uncle's voice, knowing that he wouldn't not be able to accomplish a passable imitation but concentrated on the awkward moments he had to endure during the conversation. ''… He had book! Three large volumes of books on sexual activities and how to properly prepare your partner for all kinds of things! I don't think I ever saw him as red faced as when he pushed them towards me. He even offered to buy me some of those disgustingly debasing magazines you can find downtown!'' This time it was Gladio who laughed at Ignis' discomfort at being resented by porn mags by his ever so prim and proper Uncle. In the end, neither of them could decide which of them won or lost and each agreed to buy part of what they needed. As they walked back out of the park carefully watching for anyone who might recognize them, Gladio leaned to whisper, '' If only they knew that we went to ask Sylva about the whole thing over a year ago. I wonder how they would react?'' Ignis blushed and shot Gladio a glared, ''Dont you dare say a word to either of them! Sylva certainly wont.'' Gladio smiled and leaned to kiss Ignis before leaving him alone at the park's entrance.

Gladio chuckled at the memory of their shared talk with Sylva about sex and the changes they could expect with puberty, it had gone wonderfully with the nurse staying kind and professional while answering all of their questions without a single question towards their intentions with the information she provided. Sylva had also been the one to provide them with samples of various condoms and lubes until they found something they enjoyed and had taken over getting the supplies for themselves. All in all, Gladio couldn't regret how his relation with Ignis had evolved since then, each of them meeting regularly to spend a night together with various activities without ever expecting anything serious from the other. It fit his desires to perfections and it certainly helped Ignis relax when he was overwhelmed with stress. Gladio was looking forward to next week's planned night with Ignis, he had many plans for it.


	7. Kidnapped

A/N: Threats of rape and descriptions of serious burns in this chapter. Please be careful if these bother you.

Ignis woke up to a blinding, throbbing headache; one of those that send a new wave of pain through his skull with every heartbeat. The first few moments of complete darkness and confusion had him almost in a panic before his addled mind gave him the memories he needed to make sense of his current situation. That situation being lying on a cold floor, hands tapped together from wrist to elbow behind his back and with what Ignis assumed to be a blindfold of some kind over his eyes. The worst thing was undoubtedly the cold shackle he felt around his ankles and neck, the chains lying heavy on him as they reached to where ever the other end were attached. He had to prevent his body from tensing up as he recalled what had happened that lead him to his current situation.

 _Ignis looked down with an exasperated sigh, Gladio had sent him a message asking him to meet up at one of the little used kitchen of the Citadel. The request was a bit unusual but considering that Ignis had been swamped with security details and paperwork with the Prince and Prompto having moved out of the Citadel together after almost a year of pleading for it, Ignis could admit missing the Shield's presence more then normal due to their recent lack of time alone. Ignis smothers a grin behind tight lips and a well worn frown as he enters the kitchen expecting to see Gladio with his usual self confident smirk but instead of the well build Amiticia, Ignis saw someone he didn't recognize sitting at the table._

 _The man didn't look surprised to see Ignis entering the unused kitchen, simply tapping a thick finger on the table set in the middle of the room. Ignis frowned a bit, a new staff member perhaps but something at the back of his mind was telling him to be on his guard and Ignis listened to it. ''My apologies but who are you?'' He noticed the uniform of the Citadel staff but also the lack of the pin announcing the person's title, Ignis was about to summon his daggers when the first blow came from behind him. A sharp cry of pain was wrenched from his lips as the adviser fell on the ground, glasses shattering on the floor beside him. Ignis tried to get back up, tries to move or do anything but his body seems unable to function after the heavy hit at the base of his skull. He can see another pair of boot stepping beside him from where his assailant had been hiding behind the door, heavy boots with the unmistakable insignia of the Niflheim Empire stitches at the base of the sole._

At least that explained the blinding headache, thought Ignis as he tried to think on what he needed to do now. Ignis was only too aware of the way Niflheim treated any prisoner or hostage and it was not something Ignis wanted to experience first hand if he could avoid it but as time slipped by without Ignis finding a way to summon his daggers or any of his weapons really, nor a way to escape the bindings keeping him immobile, the teenager couldn't help but feel the fear start to rise within him. The adviser was at the edge of a panic attack from his predicament when he heard a door squeak open and the same footsteps from his assailant walk into where ever he was being held.

''I know you're awake Scientia so you can stop pretending. This will go a lot easier for you if you simply cooperate with us.'' The voice was cold, holding a edge of boredom and disinterest, Ignis tensed up, feeling a presence kneel beside him. A hand grabbed a hold of his chin, jerking his head up and making the chains attached to the neck shackle jingle harshly, ''We aren't asking for much, we simply need you to tell us where is the Prince's new apartment and what the security for it is at the moment. Simple right?'' Ignis forced himself not to react in anyways, focusing on slowing his breath and remembering the various lessons he had been given on how to deal with torture. His thoughts were interrupted by a fist digging into his stomach, driving out his breath and making him taste bile.

''I expect an answer when I speak!'' said the voice, suddenly angry and the grip on his chin became painful. Ignis gasped, ignoring the man in order to try and catch his breath. The hand lets his chin go, catching Ignis off guard and putting him off balance, ''I suppose I should have expected such a reaction from the personal pet of that spoiled prince.'' The presence gets back up and footsteps move away. Ignis doesn't allow himself to hope that the man was leaving him alone for now and he was proven correct when the voice called out, ''Do what you want with him, I don't care what you do as long as he is alive and able to speak.'' Ignis tries to curl up on himself as he hears several voices laughing and then almost a dozen pairs of footsteps approach, a small part of his mind hoping that someone had noticed him missing and would come to save him before he broke.

''Ignis is in trouble.'' Gladio growled, as he jogged towards his father's office, cellphone in one hand and broken glasses in the other. Earlier today, someone had grabbed Gladio's training bag by accident from the workout hall opened to all Citadel staff and it had taken the Shield several hours to find who had switched it and have his possessions returned. When he had gone through the many messages sent to his phone during that time, Gladio noticed a strange message he couldn't remember sending to Ignis. At first he had thought it an accidental drunken text from last night but when Noctis called him to say that Ignis hadn't shown up to pick him up from school like normal, Gladio had remembered the message and ran off to the kitchen where he had apparently asked Ignis to meet him. When he had arrived, the kitchen was empty and there was no trace on Ignis having been there except as he walked back out, a small click from the sole of his shoes allowed him to discover a piece of broken glass imbedded in it.

He had wasted no time to return to the kitchen and turning the room upside down until he found a pair of shattered glasses hidden at the bottom of the almost empty garbage can, Gladio had felt his heart skip a beat when he noticed the crimson stain on them and he had called his father up to tell him what he had found. Gladio knocked on the door once before going in, trying to contain the fear and worry he felt for his colleague and dear friend; he found Cor, his father, the king, and Ventus already waiting for Gladio to arrive. Gladio gave a brief bow to his Highness before dropping the broken glasses unto his father's desk, ''Someone got a hold of my phone and drew Ignis into a trap in the Kitchen on the third floor, I found these and some bloody towels there.'' Clarus looked at the broken glasses and then at his son, '' We will discuss how someone could have gotten access to your phone so easily later. For now I want all available Crownguards looking for Ignis immediately! Gladio, go and bring his Highness and Prompto back to the Citadel. Ventus I'm leaving you to review the tapes and Cor, please start looking through the city for any clues on Ignis' whereabouts.''

The king was frowning and added, ''I want this to take priority over everything else for now. Ignis is a valued and trusted staff member with access to everything he wanted. Ventus, I need you to revoke Ignis' security access until he is found and debriefed.'' Everyone nodded and promptly left to do their assigned job, Cor stopping beside Gladio and putting an hand on his shoulder to indicate his silent support of the teen. Regis watched as Gladio left, his shoulders bowed by stress and guilt over the situation, and told Clarus once they were alone, '' I want to be told about everything you find. Use the glaives if you need to extra help but Ignis has to be found as soon as possible!'' Clarus nodded, rising up to lay a hand on his king's shoulder, '' I know you see him as a son and I promise you we will find him. Stay with Ventus for now, I fear he will need us until his nephew is found.'' The King nodded and then left to find his adviser, leaving Clarus alone in his office.

Gladio called Noct the moment he was out of his dad's office, ''Noct? Ignis is missing. I need you to tell me exactly where you are now. Is Prompto with you?'' Gladio asked quickly, nodded to himself as Noctis answered with an edge of worry in his voice, '' I'll explain when I pick you up but for now stay with Prompto where you are. I'll be there in 10. Don't move an inch!'' The Shield growled as he took the stairs two at the tie until he reached the parking garage. Gladio didn't bother searching for a specific car, just heading straight for the ones reserved for emergencies and entered the closest one. Noctis had walked over with Prompto to one of the arcades close to their school and a popular hangout place for the teens if they had time to do so after class. Gladio drove as quickly as he could without causing an accident, not bothering to stop the motor before leaning to open the door for Noct and Prompto.

Both teens looked tense and worried, Noct barely closing the door before demanding answers from Gladio, ''What the hell Gladio! Whats do you mean Ignis is missing? What happened?'' Prompto nodded as he took his seat and waited will barely concealed impatience. Gladio waited until they were moving back towards the Citadel before answering, ''Someone got a hold of my phone and used it to send Iggy a message asking him to be at one of the minor kitchens on the third floor. When you called me I went to take a look and found his glasses, they were broken and there was blood. Cor and Dad have put the Glaives and the Crownguards on high alert. His Majesty wants to make sure you're safe if they get to Ignis somehow.''

Noct swore, ''What do you mean get to Ignis?'' Prompto paled, his freckles standing out on his face when he stammered, ''You mean they could be hurting Ignis?'' Gladio bit his lip as Noct turned to try and reassure Prompto. Despite having known Prompto for so long, Noctis and the older two teens had agreed not to bring Prompto in on the many dangers of the royal life. All of them wanted the cheerful boy and almost literal heart of them all to lose his optimism because of them. Noct drew Prompto in a hug, ''Ignis will be ok, if they took him from the Citadel then they need him alive and wont hurt him too badly.'' Noctis keep the rest of his thoughts to himself, _at least for now they wont_.

Prompto clung back to Noct as Gladio drove them as quickly as possible into the Citadel parking where they left the car in the hands of the attendants in order to find Ignis' Uncle or Gladio's Dad. Noctis drew himself up, bringing out the mantle of royalty he wore when he needed to do something princely or if he wanted people to move out of the way quickly like he did now. Noctis paid no attention to the way the staff moved out of the way while bowing or how the guards stood up straight as he passed them by, his mind focused only on how he could find Ignis quickly and get him back home where he belonged. He found his father sitting in his office with Ventus leaning over the King's shoulders and pointing at the screen of the king's computer. Both men looked up as the trio walked in, Regis sighing as he took in the look on his son's face. ''Have you found anything? Do you know where Ignis is?'' Noct demanded as he stalked over to his father's desk.

Regis sighed and turned his computer around so Noctis and his friends could see the small clip being played. Gladio growled as he saw Ignis walk in to confront an unknown man only to be attacked from behind and collapse on the floor of the kitchen. Noctis dug his nails into the palms of his hands taking in all the details of the men who had attacked his adviser and Prompto gasped, bringing his hands up to cover his mouth as he saw the blood dripping off from Ignis when he was picked up like a bag of potatoes to disappear somewhere out of the sights of cameras. ''We don't know who these men are yet but they knew where the cameras were and how to avoid them. About 15 minutes after the time stamp of this video, an unmarked car that doesn't belong to any of the staff was seen exiting the west entrance. The make and model of the car have been sent to all Crownguards and Kingsglaive with orders to report any sightings. We will find them.''

Noctis relaxed a bit when he heard his father list what was being done to find Ignis, Prompto asked, ''Have you told Mom about this? Or the Infirmary?'' Ventus straightened and shook his head, ''No that is one thing we failed to do. Perhaps if you would be so kind as to do it for us Prompto?'' Noctis looked over his shoulder at Prompto, slightly worried about having him leave his line of sight but seeing as who ever was responsible had most likely left already and that the halls to the infirmary were well guarded, Prompto had little to worry about while going to the infirmary. Prompto nodded, looking at Noct then Gladio before leaving in a hurry. Noctis turned back and asked, ''What can I do?'' Regis shook his head sadly, ''Nothing for now except to stay safe yourself. Ignis would not forgive himself if something were to happen to you because of this.'' The king turned to look at Gladio, '' My son is under your care Gladioulus, do not allow my son to come to harm.'' Gladiolus bowed deeply and replied, ''Yes, your Majesty.''

Prompto moved through the busy halls in front of the King's office as quickly as he could while not bothering anyone. He quickly decided that taking the usual halls to the infirmary would take too long considering how busy they seemed and Prompto snuck into a lesser used corridor to check how those were. Finding the side corridors to be mostly empty of life, Prompto started running through them with practiced ease of many sleepless nights spent exploring every corner of the Citadel after being able to to walk once more but still suffering from nightmares. Prompto took every corner at full speed, jumping lightly to push off the base of the walls in the direction he wanted to go then jumping over a balustrade down to the lower floors instead of going to the stairs several corridors ahead. As he ducked his head to roll through the fall, Prompto spotting something that made him change his course to jog over and kneel by the object of interest.

It was a few spots of blood, bright crimson and already turning flaky on the marble flooring, there was also the slightest sliver of glass resting beside it, almost invisible against the white floors of the Citadel but both things made Prompto shiver with the possible implication. The blond checked where he was quickly before sending Noct a message, ''Get here now!'' with the location of the blood then getting back up and starting to move down the unused corridor while turning on his phone's tracker. As extra precaution, Prompto turned off the sound and vibration of his phone before returning it to his pocket. He moved a bit slower then before in order to keep the chances of missing any other clue to a minimum. The corridor had several open windows and Prompto noticed drops of blood at the edge of the window frame of one, the runner increased his speed, timing his jump to get the best height and jump distance. He gripped the top ledge of the window to give himself the extra boost of angle and dropped unto a thick branch a meter or so away from the window.

Prompto dropped into a crouch, his eyes catching the presence of more blood before he moved quickly, keeping his center of gravity low to the branch. The traces were easier to see and read, if the lessons the Galahdian hunters were sticking properly; showing that four people had passed through here in a single file with one of them carrying a fifth one. Prompto followed the increasingly frequent blood drops that he saw, only barely aware of where he was going as he left the Citadel ground towards the Noble district that existed exclusively for the old noble families of Lucis.

Prompto followed the blood as it winded through the streets reserved for the servants of the nobles, moving further into the district until he arrived at the dilapidated house of a once great house. The blood entered through a white washed door, the blood stark red on the white paint, Prompto summoning his guns as he crouched down and quietly opened the door. Silence answered his slow entrance into the dusty servant's cloak room, no one in sight or within hearing. Prompto kept his slow pace as he continued to follow the steady blood drops marking a clear path for the teenager to follow.

As he moved deeper into the old and broken down mansion, Prompto could hear dull thumps and whimpers coming from a slightly opened door further down the hall. He tensed and stopped when a scream of pure pain resounded suddenly before stopping just as suddenly. There was no more doubt in Prompto's mind, Ignis was here and he needed help! His mind made up, Prompto took a deep breath and swiftly looked through the open door and down the stairs to the basement. He could smell blood and something burning emerging from it, making him frown at the horrible smell. He checked to see if there was anything on the stairs that would make sound or alert the kidnappers of his presence but he found nothing. A moment of hesitation had him stop to think whether he should wait until Noct and Gladio arrived but those thoughts were swiftly kicked out when Ignis screamed again and started sobbing.

Prompto had to bite his lower lip to force himself not to run down the stairs and shot everyone who dared hurt Iggy instead taking each step one by one, slowly and checking that he had not been noticed by anyone. The smell of blood and burning something grew stronger and was starting to get mixed with the acrid smell of vomit, Prompto had to breath through his mouth to prevent himself from gagging, every breath a reminder to stay silent as he finally reached the last step unnoticed and unheard. Prompto took a single look around the bare stone basement before ducking into the space behind the stairs. He could barely make out Ignis from where he stood but what he could see made him both furious and utterly horrified.

Thick metal chains started off the furthest wall until they reached the shackles Ignis wore around both ankles and the collar around his neck. Blood dripped from where the hackles and collar had rubbed the skin raw, staining the torn clothes even more. Ignis was curled up unto himself as much as possible, his shoulders shaking from his sobs and even in the darkened basement, Prompto could see the marks of the beating he had received, bruises and cut from fists and kicks hitting across his body. The gunner counted 20 men, armed with swords and daggers; some leaning against the wall throwing insults, slurs and threats of what was to come to their prisoner while others were standing in a rough circle around Ignis. The two standing apart from the groups were the only men dressed in clean clothes. One had an arrogant but utterly nervous look in his eyes, picking at the seam of his shirt and standing slightly behind the other men. The second one had hard eyes and a bored look as he looked down at the curled up Ignis as though looking at an insect, he motioned with a hand and all the other men stopped what they were doing to pay attention, ''Now now Scientia, don't you think you've done enough? Surely no one will blame you for talking after all we've done to you. Surely you cannot believe that the ever so merciful king of Lucis would be mad at you for letting us know where the Prince's new apartment is?''

Prompto tuned the leader out, looking through the basement to memorize where every person was and where each person might move to when he put his plan into action. He barely heard the single worded reply that Ignis gave but he did hear what the leader said right after, '' I see in that case… Strip him of his clothes and rape him until he passes out. I'll…'' He never finished his order as Prompto lost his cool and moved. A single step brought him out of behind the stairs, his gun aiming at the leader and a single gunshot resounded, dropping the leader down like a stone. His second shot came before the bastard hit the floor, Prompto shattering the single light bulb on the ceiling with unfailing aim. As the basement went dark, Prompto kept shooting, taking down all the men standing around Ignis before he changed position.

Prompto's memory gave him his route, crouching down and moving away from the rising commotion taking a long route along the dirty wall until he touched the metal chains, he only stopped once to shoot down a person who had ran up the stairs, its creaks giving him a clear target to double tap just like Cor showed him. The surviving kidnappers were in a panic, faced with an unknown amount of enemy who had killed so many of their own so quickly. Most of the men tried to run away, each of those being shot down from somewhere in the dark, the sound of the gunshot too loud to determine its location and the nuzzle flash only giving the barest of hints but none of that registered to the panicking men who thought only of their safety.

Prompto kept shooting while moving from behind where Ignis was lying whimpering softly but not moving to Prompto's concern. As the gunner shifted part of his attention to where he could hear Ignis breathing, sudden sounds of movement were heard from the first floor and Prompto shifted his gun towards the stairs, moving a couple of meters closer to his injured friend. When he heard steps coming down the stairs, Prompto didn't hesitate to pull the trigger twice before stopping. He waited a moment to see if he could hear a body falling but instead a voice asked, ''Prompto? Ignis? Is it either of you?'' Prompto gasped, rapidly putting down his gun before replying just as Ignis did, ''Cor?''

Reassured that it wasn't an enemy, Prompto dropped his gun away into the ether, the blue crystals shining brightly in the darkness to follow the chains to where Ignis still laid curled up on himself. Prompto jerked back when Ignis whimpered at his touch causing Prompto to whisper, '' I'm sorry Ignis, it's just me. Please I just want to check up on you.'' He heard Ignis' sob of relief, hearing the chains shift as a heavy weight came to rest against Prompto chest causing the gunner to slowly and carefully fold his arm around his friend. '' Its ok, I got you now. I got you.'' Whispered Prompto.

Cor stepped down into the complete darkness of the basement hearing Prompto and Ignis in it and taking out a flashlight. The light illuminated many bodies, all of them shot down with two bullets through the skull or chest spread across the bottom of the stairs. Cor hissed at the sight of Prompto's work but the sobs coming from further in the basement commanded his attention. The Marshall tilted his head towards the open door at the top of the stairs and gave a sharp two second whistle before carefully making his way to where his nephew and Ventus' nephew sat. His flashlight illuminated the battered body of Ignis and Cor had to stuff the anger away before it showed on his face. He knelt beside the teenagers, watching as Ignis sobs, face pressed tightly against Prompto's chest.

With gritted teeth, Cor carefully took stock of the injuries he could see while he waited for some lights to be brought down. He couldn't prevent himself from swearing when the light finally shone on the young adviser's hands; the palms of each hand had been burned black. Cor gently taking one of the hands in his own with a whispered warning and apology to see how bad the damage was, wincing as the simple movement allowed several strips of grey skin to fall off the charred muscles. It was bad and the longer it took to get him back to the infirmary the worst his chances of recovering would be. ''Ignis, you need to be seen by a doctor as quickly as possible. Is it ok with you if I pick you up and bring you put?'' Ignis shivered and nodded slowly, eyes shut tight from pain. Prompto carefully rubbed his hands over Ignis' arm before casting a worried look at his Uncle. Cor smiled reassuringly before he got up, sliding his sword out of its scabbard to cut through the chains immobilizing the injured teen. A moment later, Cor had Ignis in a bridal carry and was walking away followed closely by Prompto. Ignis whimpered at every movement before becoming completely slack in Cor's arms making the Marshall swear and start running with a hoarse call for the medics to get their ass moving now!

A/N: I will be updating once every two days instead of every day from now on. Sorry for the change :(


	8. Kidnapped part 2

A/N: Ignis and Gladio are 18 while Noctis and Prompto are 15.

 _Pain! Hurts! NO!_ Ignis bit his lips until it bleeds, _Can't speak! Have to stay silent! It hurts! Please!_ Ignis could feel the hands pressing down on him, his strength not enough to free his hands from his kidnappers and their goons. He felt himself choke on something, _Water pouring down his throat, not stopping, choking and coughing, burning as it's descending into his lungs._ Ignis can hear voices shouting at him and he chokes back a sob, fighting with quickly fading strength against the hands holding him down, he had to fight to protect Noctis!

Ignis felt something touch the palm of his hands and screamed! _Thick cream forced roughly on his hands. Burning sensation on his hands. A flicker of fire. PAIN! Let me go! NO!_ With a burst of strength, Ignis flung his hands out of the grips and felt one of them hit something before he curled himself up to protect his hands as much as he could. He could her voices shouting around him and tensed up, expecting pain to follow. Instead, Ignis felt soft familiar hands gently brushing on his curled up back in a pattern he knew. A second pair of hands started on the back of his arms, slowly rubbing in gentle circle while a third set settled in his hair gently scratching against his scalp.

Everyone in Ignis' hospital room relaxed visibly when the soft touches of Noctis, Prompto and Gladio seemed to finally allow Ignis to relax without having to be drugged once more. It has been a week since Ignis' kidnapping and torture and the adviser had not been well. A pneumonia took hold of Ignis' lungs and his weakened state from the torture and subsequent healing by Luna had forced the doctors to put the teenager on a respirator until the Infection and fever calmed down. After 6 days of high fevers despite all medical attempts to lower it, Ignis had finally been declared well enough to be removed from the machine helping him breathe and allowed to wake up fully. Unfortunately, Ignis' mind seemed to still be in a state of panic and shock as Luna could attest from where she had fallen on the ground after Ignis clipped her cheek when he got free of the nurses trying to prevent him from injuring himself.

''Are you ok Luna?'' Asked Sylva as she helped the young Oracle to get back up, carefully examining the small scratch on her cheek. Luna moved her jaw carefully before nodding, ''Yes I'm alright. What about Ignis?'' The ladies looked over to where Noctis was drawing patterns softly against Ignis' back with Prompto and Gladio doing something similar on their friend's arm and scalp. ''That's it Iggy, just relax. You're safe now.'' Whispered Gladio in his deep voice, bending down close to Ignis' ear. Prompto looked over at his mom, eyes filled with worry and fear for Ignis and Sylva nodded back. ''Let's try this again. You boys try to get Ignis on his back and see if you can get him to open his eyes and look at any of you alright?'' The boys nodded and with infinite care, they were able to get Ignis to relax fully and unto his back.

Ignis moaned as he finally registered the voices talking to him softly, calling his name in such sweet voices. His eyes opened briefly before the bright light made him close them again. ''Dim the lights.'' Said a voice, Gladio? Then another whispered, ''Ignis? Can you try to open your eyes again? Please?'' How could Ignis refuse his personal ball of sunshine when Prompto sounded so worried. Pale grey eyes fluttered opened once more and this time stayed open to the relief of everyone around him. Ignis blinked several times, trying to figure out where he was and how he had gotten there when the last thing he remembered was… ''Oh…'' the adviser whispered before turning to look at the blond-haired beauty hovering to his right, Ignis forced his hand to move, reaching out to the boy and Prompto quickly took his hand with the utmost gentleness. Ignis gave Prompto a tired smiled, '' You saved me, thank you.'' Prompto nodded, bringing the hand up to kiss it tenderly while tears started falling silently down his cheeks.

The next hour or so was spent bringing Ignis up to date on what had happened while Sylva finished checking up on his health with Luna. Ignis couldn't help the full body flinch that shook him when Luna took his hands and gently touched the still pink scars that marred every part of his palm. Noctis was quick to ask, ''Ignis? Are you ok? Do you need anything?'' Ignis wordlessly turned away from the sight to concentrate on the worried faces around him, Prompto shuffling closer and asking softly, ''Can we hug you?'' Ignis gasped and nodded, a few tears falling as Ignis tried to force the memories away and concentrate on the here and now. It became easier once he was drawn into Gladio's warm arms, feeling protected and safe among their arms while he listened to his friends talking softly to him until Ignis fell asleep.

Ignis was allowed to leave the infirmary a week later, a week in which he was asked to describe what had happened in detail and a week of nightmare that only stopped when the doctors gave him something to help him sleep. His body had healed without too much trouble, the only traces of his kidnapping were the many scars he had gotten from it. At Prompto's urging, Ignis agreed to go seek help for the mental scars the experience left in him; a phobia of fire and frequent panic attacks whenever his eyes stayed too long on the shiny scars left on his palms.

Coming back from one of his meeting, Ignis heard choked off sobs coming from within Noctis' apartment. He didn't pause to think, fear driving his actions as he slammed the door opened and looking around for the threat only to find the apartment empty except for Prompto, curled up on the sofa. Prompto looked up surprised when he heard the door slam open, taking one look at Ignis before scrambling off the sofa to go to him. ''Ignis is every ok?'' he asked just as Ignis, ''Whats wrong Prompto?'' Both men looked at each other before bursting out in laughing with the sudden feeling of relief they felt seeing each other safe and sound though somewhat emotional.

Ignis tugged the smaller man into a hug, needing the comfort after the brief scare with Prompto returning the hug in his usual exuberant manner. They stayed that way for a while, not moving but just holding each other before Ignis felt the need to move, gently bringing Prompto over to their couch. ''Are you alright?'' the older man asked, still a bit worried about seeing Prompto crying as he had been. Prompto hesitated then shook his head, curling up on the sofa beside Ignis, putting his head on his knees. ''Not really, I… I just can't stop thinking about what happened. What I did…. Ignis… I killed them!'' Prompto finished with a whimper, hiding his face. Ignis felt horrible, while he had been tortured the adviser had been prepared for that possibility since he turned 13 but Prompto… Prompto hadn't. All those who knew Prompto had endeavored to protect the optimistic boy from the horrors that came with being attached to the royal family.

Cor and Gladio had worked hard on teaching Prompto how to fight and protect himself but that was it, how to protect himself. None of them wanted to ever see Prompto forced to take a life regardless of the circumstance and yet because of Ignis; their beloved Prompto had been forced to do just that. '' Astrals! I'm sorry Prompto! Because of me…'' Ignis started moving to tug the younger man closer to him with a horrified expression on his face. How could any of them have forgotten that Prompto had been forced to kill during that incident?

Prompto noticed the guilt coming from Ignis and hurried to reassure Ignis, '' No! Ignis! Its ok! I don't blame you! Its not your fault! Please don't blame yourself!'' ''What's Iggy blaming himself for this time?'' asked a deep voice. Without their notice, Gladio and Noctis had returned to the prince's apartment just in time to hear Prompto's plea. Noctis walked over to kneel in front of his adviser, the act making Ignis start to rise before Noctis' hands steadily pushed him back into the couch, ''Ignis.'' The way his prince was saying his name had Ignis slouch back unto the couch with Prompto firmly curled up on his chest. Prompto looked up to meet Gladio's eyes from his position against Ignis, the soldier easily seeing the reddened marks left by Prompto crying and figured out what was going on easily enough.

Gladio closed the door behind him and locked it before moving towards the others, ''Prompto, were you talking with Cor?'' Noctis looked over to Prompto sharply at that, noticing the same things as Gladio had and sighed. The prince bringing one of his hands to lay on top of Prompto's with a small question, ''Are you ok?'' Prompto gave a tired smile before replying, '' I will be. I just… had to talk with Uncle again.'' Ignis looked at the interaction and felt even worst, had he been the only one not to notice? The adviser couldn't stand it, gently shifting Prompto off of him before getting up to head towards the kitchen, shoulders bowed with guilt. Prompto almost whimpered at the lost of contact and Noctis shared a silent conversation with Gladio as he got up to sit beside the blond boy, allowing Prompto to curled up against him instead.

Gladio left the two younger boys curled up against each other on the couch to follow Ignis into the kitchen. Ignis was filling a kettle with water with trembling hands when Gladio slowly reached out to take the kettle out of his hands. ''Iggy… I'm here for you.'' Whispered Gladio gently as he watched Ignis grip the edge of the counter until his fingers whitened from the pressure. The adviser's shoulders were trembling as he tried to keep himself from sobbing with his lover silently watching over him without any pressure. Gladio kept an eye on Ignis while he took over preparing some tea for everyone. The minutes ticked by silently until Ignis had composed himself and was ready to speak. Without turning around Ignis spoke to his lover in a low whisper, ''I didn't notice….'' Ignis stops before continuing, ''I'm supposed to be Prompto's friend not to mention Noctis' adviser; to listen and advise both and yet…. I didn't notice! I was so wrapped up in my own troubles, in my own head that I wasn't there for either of them when they needed me!'' Gladio sighed, moving to lean his back against the counter beside Ignis before muttering, ''Self-pity doesn't fit you, love.''

Ignis glared at Gladio but the Shield chose to ignore the look and kept talking, ''Two week ago, you were kidnapped and tortured brutally. You only woke up a bit over a week ago and only left the hospital three days ago. If that had happened to anyone else, would you be saying that its their fault for still healing from the experience?'' Ignis turned to face Gladio, anger and guilt plain on his face. '' But its not someone else! I was trained for this eventuality! I knew the risks of working for his Highness since I was a child but Prompto didn't! He should have never been forced into such a position especially not because of me!'' Gladio looked at Ignis impassively and opened his mouth to reply only for Prompto's voice to resound in the kitchen, ''It was my choice too!''

The whistle from the kettle started, going unnoticed by Prompto or Ignis as they starred each other down across the prince's kitchen. Prompto still had red eyes and looked a bit pale but stood strong by his own strength. The gunner spoke again, ''I know how dangerous it is to be around royalty! I still remember our first meeting and what happened to Dad. I heard Uncle Cor tell me stories about the assassination attempts against Noct and his dad! I chose to be friends with all of you despite knowing about the risk. Isnt that why I learnt how to fight? So I can protect you when it came down to it? Because that's why I did. I chose to follow after you based on a hunch. I could have waited for Uncle, or Clarus or Gladio but I chose not to, knowing that I might have to fight and kill.'' Ignis expression shifted from anger to shock then slowly into pride as Prompto spoke clearly. Noct and Gladio were watching the interaction with an expression wavering between impressed and amused even as Prompto kept going, ''You were being tortured! That bastard ordered you to be raped! There is no way I could simply stand by and do nothing! I don't regret killing them! Any of them! Yes! I have nightmares and sometimes I need to speak with Uncle to help clear my mind but I don't regret what I did, I just regret that it was necessary in the first place.''

As Prompto finished almost shouting at Ignis, the adviser stood before the ever-surprising young man he was honored to call his friend. When Ignis was certain that Prompto was done talking, he walked over and brought the man into a tight hug, ''Thank you Prompto!'' Prompto stammered in shock at the thanks offered by Ignis, his face going red in embarrassment. The blond shifted for a few moments before he sighed and returned the hug, ''Are you feeling better?'' he asked and Ignis nodded with a pleased hum. Gladio coughed making both men to jump up in shock, having forgotten the others presence. Gladio grinned and then handed them a cup of peppermint tea to each. Noctis carrying another two passed them while saying, ''If the whole emotional stuff is done, lets go watch a movie.'' Ignis huffed as he took the cup offered by Gladio, following his prince into the living room with a wry, ''Are you certain you aren't saying that just to get out of revising today's council notes?'' Everyone laughed as Noctis twitched at the reminder from Ignis and the four spent the rest of the evening commenting on the movie Prompto had insisted they watch together.

Two days later, Ignis found a gift left for him in his mail box. The letter attached to it bore Prompto's hand writing and Ignis smiled as he read the short but heartfelt message the teen had written for him. _I know how hard it can be to have reminders of bad things visible on your skin so I hope these will help make you more comfortable._ Ignis opened the box and couldn't help the fond smile that spread across his face, he would have to make Prompto's favorite dish tomorrow as thanks. As Ignis left the room to get ready for bed, the fingerless leather gloves Prompto had bought and given to him were carefully laid in plain sight to be used the next day.


	9. Blood stains and bloody lips

A/N: Noctis and Prompto are 17 here.

Prompto and Noctis were in the middle of class when the announcement came, ''Attention all students and faculty staff, due to a water main breaking from the nearby construction we will be closing the school for the rest of the day. I repeat, the school will be closed for the rest of the day. All students needing transportation to return home are to go wait in the gymnasium until the buses arrive.'' The students all started to talk excitedly around the two friends who shared a wide grin. The teacher had to shout to regain everyone's attention after the interruption, ''Enough! Everyone get ready to leave, those who need transportation are to go get their bags then return here. Everyone else is free to leave. Don't forget your homework for tonight!'' As their classmate hurried out of the classroom with renewed energy, Noct waited for Prompto to join them before moving towards their own locker, Noct couldn't help a grin from showing up on his face as he saw how excited Prompto was at their sudden break from school. ''What should we do for the rest of the afternoon?'' Noct asked his friend, amused. Prompto was practically buzzing with excitement and he shot an answer back quickly, ''Food first! Then we can go and see that game convention that's in town! Is that ok with you Noct?''

Noctis nodded, ''Sounds like a plan, Prom but we can't tell Ignis about it otherwise he'll insist I join him for the afternoon meetings…'' Noct made a disgusted face at the very thought of being forced to attend those boring, drawn out meeting filled with old people who kept talking about things in never ending circles instead of just saying what they wanted. Prompto smiled gently at the look on his boyfriend's face, ''I wont say anything if you don't,'' Prompto offered with a grin as he finished packing his bag, waiting until Noct was done before closing his locker. Both walked in comfortable silence out of the school, through the streets of Insomnia and towards the conference center in the upper business district, taking the metro to the shopping mall attached to the center. Both hungry teenagers headed straight for the food court, browsing through the dozens of choices offered before them. Prompto ended up choosing a fish and chips special while Noct got the greasiest hamburger he could find around.

As they found an open table to eat, Prompto pulled out his phone and brought up the conference schedule posted for the day, ''Noct! Look, they have a table set up for King's Knight! With prizes for people who show them their in-game stats!'' Noct chuckled, ''Perfect then, we can definitively go and show them how strong our team in. Is there anything form Basala's?'' Prompto grinned and teased, ''You mean their new virtual reality fishing game?'' Noct blushed, ducking his head as he moaned, ''Prompto!'' The teen laughed before answering, still in a teasing tone, ''You're in luck Noct, they have a VR station set up for people to give it a go.'' Noct cheered up instantly, ''Come on Prom! We have to hurry up and go see it!'' Prompto laughed again at Noctis' sudden excitement but did hurry up to finish his meal. The next few hours were spent walking from one table to another, trying different games and figuring out how much they should spend to pre-order some of the newer ones. By the end of the afternoon, Noct had pre-order ten of the new games including the newest VR console and the Basala's fishing game, a game he had spent close to an hour playing while Prompto watched and snapped picture of Noctis, Prince of Lucis, wearing the bulky headgear involved in playing VR games.

A phone call interrupted their carefree afternoon as Noctis took a single glance at the name showing on his display before wincing, he answered with a groan, ''Hey Iggy, what's up?'' ''Whats up? Highness… perhaps you would like to explain why I only just learnt that your school had to be closed because a water main broke?'' Noctis shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Prompto before replying, '' I knew you were busy and didn't want to bother you?'' Prompto could easily imagine Ignis sighing as the adviser replied, ''Your highness! Please return to your apartment, we will discuss this further when you and Prompto arrive.'' Noctis curled up on himself at Ignis' displeasure, prompting Prompto to sling an arm over his shoulder in silent support. The blond took the phone from Noct's grip and told Ignis, '' Hey, we'll head back soon but there are a few more things we need to do before we go back. We'll grab some stuff for supper too so don't worry about it!'' then hung up without waiting for a reply. Noct stared at Prompto with a frown before whispering, ''Are you sure Prom?'' Prompto nodded and tugged Noctis after him as they left the area and started walking down the streets of the upper business district.

''Ignis will be fine and we totally deserve a day off to have fun! So lets hit our usual arcade before we go back, they should have finished installing that new game today!'' Declared Prompto, tucking Noct's phone away with his own as a way to prevent the prince from getting too worried. The day was nice and it didn't take very long for Prompto to cheer Noct up as they walked down the sunny streets while joking around. As they walked into the metro, Prompto noticed the way people were looking slightly scared while looking behind them, taking out his phone, Prompto pretended to check the time and used the reflection from the screen to see what was drawing so much negative attention. When he spotted the trio of men looking all to interested in Noctis, Prompto almost swore biting it off in favor of smiling at Noctis and asking, '' Ignis is totally going to make your favorite tonight! His bean and veggie soup is just the best!'' Noctis tensed up for the slightest of moments, hiding it by reaching over to mess with Prompto's hair as he replied, '' He'd better otherwise our surprise wont work.''

Prompto's laughter was slightly tinged with nervousness, glaring at his signal less phone but knowing that they wouldn't be able to contact anyone while in the metro system. Noctis and Prompto found the busiest car and slipped into the crowd, hoping that would be enough to lose who ever it was that were following them. Unfortunately, is wasn't that easy as the men simply made their way roughly into the car too, now staring at the duo or rather Noctis openly. Prompto shifted to hide his friend from view without making it look suspicious, again relying on his phone as an excuse to shift positions and move between Noct and their stalkers. He finally remembered that he still had Noct's phone in his pocket too, reaching in to grab it and return it to the Prince when the metro suddenly stopped abruptly with the scream of metal on metal indicating someone had pulled the emergency break. The sudden deceleration pushed Prompto off balance and only Noctis' quick reflexes prevented the blond from falling unto the floor. Unfortunately, it didn't prevent the two cells to continue on their way and get lost among the throngs of worried people, shifting uneasily among the beginning of a panic.

Noctis gulped as he met the eyes of one of the men following him, the look he received was filled with greed and dark amusement even as the trio of men started elbowing their way towards the teens. ''Prom, I think we'd better move.'' Noct hissed as the prince looked around to try and find a way to escape from the jam-packed metro. Prompto glanced back, seeing the men making their slow and painful way through the masses with single minded focus and nodded, quickly joining his friend in looking for a fast way out. Prompto found it when he saw the emergency door release lever within his grasp, grabbing Noctis' hand firmly in his own, the blond reached out and activated the system, watching as the pressure form the moving people forced the door open and sent many crashing down unto the rails. Both boys ran out the moment they could, ignoring the guilty feeling of seeing people get hurt because of them in order to get as far away from their stalkers as possible. Prompto noticed an open red door not to far from where they were, probably used by maintenance staff but more importantly, Prompto could see the lock on the inside. ''This way!'' The blond shouted, pulling the prince along with him as he ran as quickly as he could towards their escape path. Both teens could hear a growing commotion from the metro car, filled with shouts and screams and just as they reached the door Prompto heard an all to familiar sound, that of gunshots echoing through the tunnels.

Prompto reacted quickly, pushing Noctis in front and through the door, using his own body to shield the prince while he quickly turned around and brought the door shut behind them, fumbling a bit until he could lock it and prevent anyone from following them. The blond heard the cling of more bullets hitting the thick maintenance door as he leaned against it panting, ''Noct? You ok?'' asked Prompto when he got his breath back slightly. ''I'll live came the answer.'' Noctis sounded just as out of breath as Prompto felt. Prompto turned around to face his friend, his eyes widening as he saw the bloody red strip on Noctis upper right thigh. ''You're hurt! Let me see!'' Prompto hurried over the kneel by Noctis, hands gingerly touching the bloody cut. Noct groaned in pain but spat out, ''Its nothing, just a small cut. We need to get out of here quickly.'' Prompto nods but doesn't move, the edges of the cut were very inflamed and the wound was bleeding a lot for such a shallow cut. He doesn't hesitate, taking his tie off and tying it tightly just over the cut as he said, '' We still need to deal with it. This should at least deal with the bleeding.''

Noctis nod, gritting his teeth against the throbbing pain from where the bullet crazed him and pushes off the wall to follow after Prompto only to feel his leg give out from under him. Prompto caught him, returning the favor from earlier with a worried gasp, ''Noct?'' Noctis laid his forehead on Prompto's shoulder with a groan, ''I'm ok just my leg doesn't feel like its going to hold me for long. We need to get moving and quick.'' Prompto bite his lip and nodded, ''Alright, lean on me then. I'll get us out of here. I promise.'' Noctis smirked, smiling up to his boyfriend despite the pain and stress to give him a small kiss on the forehead, '' I know you will.'' He chuckled at the blush on Prompto's face, something that happened very often and that Noctis loved about his friend. Prompto shifted, putting an arm around Noctis waist and pulling Noct's over his shoulder to take off most of the weight from his friend as they started along the concrete halls leading them away from their pursuers.

Noctis found him panting from the pain and even more exhausted than he would have expected, forcing the two teens to stop often to allow Noct to catch his breath and for Prompto to check on the injury with increasing worry. The wound was still bleeding and Prompto had to rip off part of his uniform in order to bandage the cut further, hoping that extra bandages would do the trick and at least slow down the bleeding. By the time they reached the end of the corridors, whatever situation that had lead to the sudden metro stop seemed to have been resolved as the teens found themselves exiting into one of the central station of the business district. Prompto helped Noct sit down on a bench while he went looking for a way to contact Ignis or Gladio; he kept an eye on the crowds and on Noct as he found a rare public phone still left operational within the station. He waited with baited breath as he composed the numbers he knew by heart, counting the rings until he heard Ignis' voice come through with a tense, ''Hello?'' Prompto didn't waste any time, '' Ignis its me, We're in trouble. Some dudes came after us after we left the conference and ambushed us in the metro. Noct got hurt and… Shit!'' Prompto stopped as he stared a man heading straight for Noct. It was one of the three from earlier and he wasn't alone. He ignored Ignis' worried shout in favor of dropping the phone and hurrying to grab Noct who thankfully seemed to have noticed the approaching men at the same time as Prompto had.

Noct hissed, ''We have to get out of sight!'' Prompto knew that but the question was how. The station was tied to a well known general store that had everything from make up to beds and house hold items and seeing some of the displays gave Prompto an idea. Without a word, he helped Noct into the store and through the crowds of customers until they reached the onsite bathroom. Thankfully it seemed to be a busy afternoon for the staff and no one noticed the two teens slipping into the washroom. Noct looked at Prompto in confusion, ''What are you thinking Prom?'' he asked, just a little worried. Prompto grinned and said, '' I have an idea to ditch these guys but I need you to trust me on this Noct.'' Noct frowned then nodded, '' Of course I trust you. What do you have in mind?'' Prompto gave Noct a grin and explained his idea, enjoying just a bit too much the startled then embarrassed expression that Noct showed as Prompto talked.

An hour later, Prompto smiled as he looked at his companion, a beautiful brown haired girl wearing a knee length light blue dress with a small matching sweater. A pair of 2-inch high heels and knees socks completed the wardrobe and the young teenage girl had some soft make up on that accentuated her dark blue eyes and soft red lips. ''Come on babe, no need to be so shy. You look amazing.'' A mumbled reply was heard as the girl plastered herself unto Prompto's side, a full-face blush enhancing her beauty. Prompto smiled and tugged his companion closer, his hand tight on their waist to support their weight as much as possible without seeming to. Noctis looked through his lashes in an attempt to glare at his friend and his stupid ideas but as they walked unnoticed and unbothered by the men standing watch over the entrance, Noctis had to admit it was effective.

Noctis' apartment was too far away to be reached safely and so Prompto guided Noctis towards the metro leading to the lower section of Insomnia. If they could reach the refugee center there or just make contact with any of the Glaives families living in that section of the city then they would be safe until Ignis and Gladio could come get them. The trip was quiet with Noctis leaning heavily on Prompto to hide the increasing pain and exhaustion he felt, while Prompto kept a close eye out for any trouble. As they stepped off the metro and started moving towards the exit a young lady walked up to them, making Prompto tense. She had a small embarrassed look on her face as she motioned for them to wait a bit, '' I'm sorry to bother you but… umm… you're leaking.'' She whispered the last bit towards Noctis, making the teen look utterly confused until the lady pointed at the back of the dress. A crimson stain had spread at the back of the dress, just below Noctis' but and understanding came to Prompto who hurriedly took his school blazer to give to his companion. The lady nodded in approval at the gesture, '' Here, take this and this. The washroom is close by and you should be able to get rid of some of the blood before it stains too much.'' The lady handed Noctis a thin green packaged pad and a single use disposable stain remover before leaving with a understanding smile. Prompto looked at the stunned and completely embarrassed Noctis before helping him tie the blazer on his waist to hide the stain.

Noctis ducked his head away from Prompto, hiding the gifts from the well-intentioned lady away into the pockets of his sweater before giving Prompto a hard look that promised pain if he said anything about the encounter. Prompto shook his head in utter amusement and they both continued on their way without further trouble other then Noctis' increasing weakness that had him tripping and leaning more and more unto Prompto. By the time they reached the Refugee Center, Noctis was breathing heavily, face screwed up in pain and his concentration was solely focused on taking one step after the other. The Kingslgaive that guarded the entrance of the Refugee Center saw them approaching and hurried to meet with the struggling duo. '' Prompto? Whats going on? Who is this? Is she ok?'' Asked Nyx as he recognized the blond. Prompto shook his head, '' No time, we need to get out of sight and we need an antidote and a potion. Is there any left inside?'' Libertus frowned, ''don't know, lets get you two inside and then I'll go check if we do.''

With the help of the two men, Prompto was able to get Noctis inside and up into his dad's office here giving some brief explanations of what was going on. Nyx stared at the prince in shock, he hadn't recognized him in his disguise, a testament to Prompto's skills and Noctis' feminine beauty but more then that Nyx hurried to take a look at the cut that Prompto had described. The older Glaive didn't hesitate to flip up the dress, hiding his grin at the boxers the prince was still wearing underneath the dress and how even those matched the knee socks he was still wearing. Taking the bloodied bandages off, Nyx swore at the sight of the still bleeding wound and its inflamed edges that were tinged in a purple-ish color.

Prompto asked worried, ''What is it?'' Nyx met Noctis' painfilled eyed and explained quickly, '' The bullet was coated with fire leech saliva. It's a very strong anticoagulant that stays on the skin of the victim to keep the blood flowing. It also burns like hell and doesn't have an antidote.'' Prompto paled, ''No antidote? We cant just do nothing!'' The teenager looked over the Noctis, pale and sweating while lying on the couch of his dad's office. Nyx looked over to where Libertus was talking on the phone with the Citadel staff before giving Prompto a few orders, '' I can help him but I need you to go get a few things from the infirmary for afterwards. Get a potion if there is any, bandages and some antiseptic. Got that?'' Prompto nodded, reaching out to run gentle fingers through Noctis' brown died hair and whispered, ''Hang in there Noct. I'll be right back.'' Before he ran off to grab what Nyx had asked.

Noctis was only barely aware of what was happening around him, his entire being focused on the burning sensation on his leg until a new sensation took over. Something wet and soft pressed up against the wound and after a few licks started sucking on the injury. Noctis tossed his head back and moaned in pained, hands scrambling to reach for what ever was causing this new unpleasant sensation only to find his fingers tangling into braided hair. Noct opened blurry eyes and was meet with the sight of Nyx Ulric, Hero of the Kingsglaive, face pressed under his dress and lips sucking at the bullet wound with abandon. As Noct opened his mouth to ask what was going on, the words melted into another moan and the burning feeling slowly turned into a slowly spreading burn that rose from the cut until with each new suck from Nyx, the heat tuned into a pool of arousal focused on that spot. Noctis still had his hands in Nyx's hair and was moaning wantonly as he gripped the braids tightly unconsciously. Nyx had to keep a firm grip on Noctis' legs as the teenager started moving to try and find release in some manner. Nyx continued his treatment until after several excruciating minutes, he pulled off and wiped his bloody mouth with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Noctis forced his hands to let go Nyx's hair as he collapsed bonelessly into the couch, eyes closed and still incredibly hard, panting softly as he swore at Nyx, '' Bastard!'' Nyx moved on his knees until he was face to face with Noctis, giving the exhausted boy a kind smile, ''Sorry Princess, but Fire Leech poison can only be neutralized by fresh human saliva for some reason. It should stop bleeding now though it might take a while before your blood starts returning to its proper place.'' The last part was said teasingly and with a teasing look at Noct's arousal. Any reply from the offended prince was stopped by the door slamming open and the entrance of Ignis and Gladio followed closely by Prompto, ''Highness!'' ''Noct!'' came the twin shouts of his retainers which slowly morphed into utter confusion at the sight of their prince in a blue dress with Nyx on his knees in front of him while said prince had a raging hard-on. Noctis groaned, this was so embarrassing.


	10. Nightmares 1

A/N:Timeline = 1 month after the events of Sylva's Revenge. Prompto is about 11, Luna 15 and Ravus 17.

The low buzzing from his phone woke Lance up from his sleep, a hand reaching mindlessly to grab the offending item before his eyes registered the name flashing on the display and the time stamp right below. Lance shot up, halfway out of the bed fully awake as his mind started going through the possible reasons why Lunafreya would be calling him at 2 am on a Monday morning. ''Luna? Whats wrong?'' He asked, looking over to where Sylva was tugging at his sleeve, a blurry sleepy look still on her face.

''It's Ravus! He had a nightmare, a bad one and he ran off before I could try and help him!'' exclaimed Luna, sounding worried and scared. Lance smiled down at his wife, mouthing Ravus before replying to Luna, '' I see. How are you holding up Luna? And where are you now?'' Lance tucked the phone between his chin and shoulder in order to get dressed quickly. Luna replied, ''In our quarters with one of the guards but Ravus.. he…'' Luna took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from crying and Lance tried to give her some comfort, '' It's going to be ok Luna. I'm on my way right now then we'll go find Ravus together and help him. Is that ok with you?'' Luna sniffled and whispered, ''Ok. Thank you.'' Lance chuckled gently and asked, '' It's my pleasure Luna, would you like me to stay on the phone with you until I arrive?'' Luna quickly replied, ''No, Ravus might try to call you and I'll be ok.'' Lance smiled and thanked the young teenager before hanging up.

As he walked out of his room with one last look at his sleeping wife, Lance heard his son from behind him, '' Dad? Is everything ok?'' Lance turned around, smiling at the cute sight of his sleepy son standing on his feet even if he had to lean on the walls to do so, before he answered the question, '' Ravus had a bad nightmare and felt so unsafe he ran out of his room. Luna is worried about him and she decided to ask for my help.'' Prompto looked a bit shock and worried muttering, ''Oh.'' under his breath, his eyes looking down for a brief moment before he meet his father's eyes with determination. '' I want to come and help too!'' Lance was a bit surprised by the offer but that shock quickly became pride and he nodded in agreement, '' That's a wonderful idea Prompto. Go get dressed and we'll head over to see Luna and then find Ravus.'' Lance waited as he watched Prompto shuffle slowly back into his room and return in his wheelchair a few minutes later, dressed and with a bag on his lap.

Lance raised an eyebrow at the bag but didn't say anything, choosing to get the door for Prompto and then follow him through the halls until they reached the bustling halls leading to the suites giving to the Nox Fleuret siblings. Lance waved at the guards as the father-son duo entered the suite undisturbed; their entrance was noticed immediately by a pacing Luna who ran over to them the moment they entered. ''Lance! Prompto!'' She exclaimed, Lance knelt down and open his arms allowing Luna to give the older man a desperately needed hug while Pryna barked a soft greeting. Prompto leaned over to put a hand on the girl's back and asked, ''Are you ok?'' Luna nodded from within Lance's arms and replied, '' I am but Ravus..'' Lance tightened his grip on the trembling child for a brief moment before letting go and looking at Luna carefully, '' You did the right thing in calling me Luna. If you are ready we'll head off and find your brother.'' Prompto chirped in agreement, '' Yup! It's going to be ok Luna!'' Lunafreya dried her eyes rapidly, nodding once and reached out to hold Prompto's hand, '' Let's go, Ravus needs us.''

Lance grinned and got up just as the doors opened once more to allow the King into the rooms with a worried expression on his face. Regis spotted Lance, Prompto and Luna as soon as he looked around, walking up to them quickly before stopping in front of Luna. '' Luna, are you alright dear?'' Luna gave the King a small bow and nodded before meeting the King's gaze, '' I'm ok. I apologize for causing so much trouble and waking you up Your Majesty.'' Regis shook his head, smiling sadly as he tried to reassure the young girl, ''There is no need to apologize Lunafreya. I care about you and your brother and wish to help as much as I can. Cor has found your brother and is guarding him until we arrive. Of course if you prefer for me not to accompany you then that is fine as well.'' Luna gasped at the news that her brother was safe and Lance smiled down at her in comfort while Prompto grinned and squeezed her hand in his own. ''Let go then! Where is he?'' she exclaimed, Regis smiled sadly then looked at Lance with a small amount of amusement, ''Ravus locked himself in your office Lance.'' Lance was a bit surprised but sighed as he motioned for Luna go ahead, Prompto following after her with Pryna as Lance and Regis fell in step behind both children. Lance cast a glance at the King, seeing the dark circles under the monarch's eyes and the look of worry that was present in the man's eyes. ''They will be fine.'' Lance stated, looking at the children and keeping a calm appearance even as the King jerked to look at him in shock. Lance continued, ''It's only been a month since they have arrived here. After over a year in Niflheim custody, it's perfectly normal for Ravus and Lunafreya to have nightmares and trouble adjusting. You are doing everything you can to help them and make them feel at home. There is nothing wrong with worrying about those you love as family but you must also know when to step back and watch them learn and grow.''

The King looked at Prompto's father then shifted his gaze to the back of the children walking in front of them, his gaze pensive before he nodded and said, ''You speak from experience, don't you?'' The king smiled and then told his companion, ''I don't believe I have ever properly thanked you and your wife for what you both did in bringing Ravus and Luna back from Tenebrae. So thank you, not as king of Lucis but rather as a father and a friend to their mother. You both did what I wasn't able to do and brought them to safety.'' Lance smiled and tilted his head in acknowledgement at the words and the adults walked the rest of the way silently watching the future walking before them. Cor was standing at attention in front of Lance's office Umbra sitting by his feet, greeting the group as they arrived with a quiet word of warning, ''He isn't doing very well.'' Luna had already hurried to knock on the door and call out to her brother in a worried voice, '' Ravus? It's me!'' Lance moved to put a hand on her shoulder as they waited for an answer but there was no answer from within the office.

Luna was gripping the bottom of her shirt tightly with one hand before raising the other to knock again, ''Ravus? Please answer me!'' This time a rough voice shouted back, ''Go away! Leave me alone!'' Then barely heard was a whimpered refrain of, '' It's not real, none of this is real… please Astrals why?'' Luna jerked back, eyes filling with tears at her brother's shout and the fear that could be heard plainly. Lance heard the gasp from Prompto and the King behind him, seeing Cor tense up a hand curling on the handle of his sword in anger. Lance turned to look at his son and with a gentle hand moved Luna away from the door and towards him, '' Prompto can you take Luna and go get some of your mother's calming tea. I think everyone could use a cup of it.'' Prompto nodded, sharing a concerned look with his father before he reached out to grab Luna's hand and gave the teary eyed teen a comforting smile, ''Sure dad! Come one Luna, let's go and get some tea for everyone.'' He tugged at Luna's thin hands in order to get her to follow him as he moved towards his apartment with both pups following after them. A shared look between Cor and Regis had the Marshall following after the young children and leaving Regis and Lance in front of the office.

Lance waited a little bit before turned back to the door and where he could still hear Ravus whimpering to himself. Leaning against the door, Lance turned to look at Regis and started talking about his newest project to help the Refugee District. He disregarded the confused expression on the older man's face simply tilting his head towards the closed door and the slowly fading whimpers. Both men keep up a steady conversation about meaningless things, from their plans for the next day to the fond memories of their last gaming night until at last, Lance felt the door shake slightly and a small voice whisper, ''Lance?'' The man in question stood up fully, smiling in relief as he turned to see the door to his office open just a bit before Ravus' pale and tear stained face peeked through the opening. When the older Nox Fleuret's siblings saw Lance and Regis standing there, he opened the door roughly, allowing it to bang on the wall stand hesitantly looking between both adults. Lance smiled at Ravus gently and Regis gasped as he took a step forward towards the son of his deceased friend. Ravus shifted unsteadily at the movement, seeming almost ready to run off again and that prompted Lance to ask the platinum blond, '' Ravus? What do you need from us?'' Ravus gave a chocked sob at Lance's question and shook his head, his eyes glazing over as the boy gripped the edge of the door hard enough that his knuckles whitened completely. Lance waited patiently, keeping an eye on Regis to ensure the king didn't do anything that might scare the troubled boy more then he obviously already was.

After a few aborted starts, Ravus finally spoke his voice scratchy and rough from tears and possibly screams, ''Help me…'' Ravus took a single step outside of the office and almost collapse into Lance open arms, allowing Lance to hug him tightly unto his chest while slowly dropping both of them down unto the floor. Regis followed quickly enough, hesitating only for a single moment before draping an arm over the trembling boy's shoulders in an effort to give him additional comfort. By the time Cor, Prompto and Luna returned with a tray of calming teas and snacks at the insistence of Prompto; Ravus had calmed down enough for him to let go of Lance and lean his back against Regis while he told them about his nightmare, one that had made him think he was back in Tenebrae with the Niflheim Chancellor playing mind games with Ravus. Luna almost dropped her tray when she saw Ravus and Cor had to react quickly to prevent it from spilling everywhere. The siblings hugged each other tightly with Ravus muttering his apologies to his sister for making her worry and shouting at her while Luna just wanted to make sure he was alright. Both pups whined as they twined over their masters in an attempt to provide comfort in their own puppy-ish way. Cor and Prompto started serving everyone some tea and some snacks as the group moved out of the hallway and into the warmer atmosphere of the nearby lounge.

Prompto noticed that Ravus was still trembling, the cup in his hand threatening to splash the hot water over its edge and unto the teenager's hand. The blond boy reached out to steasdy Ravus' hands with a soft smile, ''I brought something for you Ravus!'' the ever cheerful Prompto declared while urging Ravus to put down the cup of tea. Once he did that, Prompto reached to grab the bag he had brought with him from his apartment and handed it over to the older teen. Ravus was quite surprised, looking from Prompto to the offered bag and back before carefully taking the present and opening it with unsteady hands. Ravus' eyes widening in absolute shock as he gently took the familiar shape from within the bag's confine before looking at Prompto with mixed emotions on his face, in his hands was a clearly handmade Carbuncle plushie. Luna gasped as she moved to look at the gift, whispering, ''It's just like your old one Ravus!'' Prompto ducked his head bashfully while he explained, '' Noct has a carbuncle charm that helps him sleep and when I asked him about his time in Tenebrae, he told me about how you both spent a long while talking about Carbuncle and comparing his charm with the gift your mother gave you…. I thought having something like that again might help you sleep better?'' Ravus was staring at the Carbuncle for a long moment before he finally looked at Prompto and for the first time of that night Ravus smiled, bringing the Carbuncle plush and its memories close to his chest even while his face took a red tone from embarrassment at the overwhelming feelings. He pressed his face into the soft fabric, smelling the sylleblossom bags Prompto had sawn into it as his mom's suggestion before mumbling, '' Thank you Prompto.'' To the blond's delight and to Luna's gleeful laughter.

Soon after, Regis and Cor walked Luna and Ravus back to the Royal Quarters, inviting them to spend the night with them instead of returning to their own suites. An invitation that Ravus accepted after some hesitation, his present gripped tightly into his hands as he accepted and then turned to thank the Argentum men for their help. As Prompto and his father made their own way back, Lance told his son proudly, '' That was a very nice thing to do for Ravus. Am I correct in guessing you have something similar in mind for Lunafreya as well?'' Prompto grinned back and nodded, '' Yup, I thought I'd make Pryna and Umbra for her! Pryna is almost done then I'll be able to work on Umbra!'' Lance chuckled, reaching out to mess Prompto's hair up with a proud gleam in his eyes. Lance told him, '' I'm very proud of you Prompto.'' Prompto blushed and smiled up to his dad then his smile turning into a bit of a smirk reminding Lance of the way Sylva looked when she got an idea in her head. Prompto didn't waste any time and simply plowed straight to what he had in mind, '' Let's have a picnic tomorrow! All of us together! Ravus and Luna could use the fresh air and Noct's dad too!''

Lance grinned and hummed as he went through the schedule for the next day before nodding to himself, '' That sounds like a perfect idea Prompto. We'll talk with your mom in the morning and she can make sure everyone who needs to get some rest get there on time. Perhaps you can contact young Ignis and see if he is up to helping out making the food for the lunch?'' Prompto grinned, ''I'll send him a message before going to bed. He'll read it when he wakes up and reply quickly.'' Lance smiled, opening the door to their home and allowing Prompto to get in first, watching until he made his way into his room before Lance headed to his own room. Sylva woke up as he slipped back into bed and whispered, '' Everything ok?'' Lance leaned over to give her a kiss, chuckling at the purr it gave him before replying in the same low voice, '' Ravus had a bad flashback and needed some help getting out of it. He and Luna are staying with the King and Cor for the remainder of the night. Prompto wants to organise a picnic for everyone tomorrow too.'' Sylva hummed and snuggled closer to her husband as she replied, ''Umm, a picnic would be nice but we'll both need sleep if we want to plan it properly.'' Lance smiled into her hair and nodded before closing his eyes and drifting back into sleep.


	11. Picnic

Prompto was quick to send Ignis a message: _Hey Iggy! Sorry for the late message but Ravus and Luna had a bad night and I want to help them. Do you think you can help me make food for a picnic? You, Noct and Gladio are invited too!_ He sent the text and then he went to sleep, thinking about all the things he wanted to do with his friends.

The next morning was sunny and bright, the temperature perfect for a picnic in Prompto's opinion and he woke up with a surplus of energy to spend. The first thing he did was check his phone, finding a reply from Ignis telling the young boy that Ignis would be delighted to help with the picnic planning and that he had already cleared the lunch schedule for the other two. A quick reply to ask Ignis to meet him at 11 to make the preparation and Prompto got out of his bed to start his day.

His mother was the only one up and she motioned for Prompto to keep quiet before giving him a quick kiss, "Your father is still sleeping. Let's not disturb him just yet." She whispered to her son. Prompto nodded in understanding, hanging on to the table and kitchen counter as he moved slowly to make his breakfast. Sylva smiled at her son, watching his unsteady steps with a proud smile; he had worked so hard to get to where he was now. Prompto caught the smile and tilted his head in confusion to which his mom grinned and told him, "I heard you helped your father out last night and are planning something for Luna and Ravus."

Prompto blushed slightly as he made his way back to the table with some toast in hand, "Its a half day today for everyone so I thought it would be nice to have a picnic." His mom nodded in agreement," That would be quite fun. Is it only for you kids?" Prompto thought about then shook his head, "I don't see why it should. I'm sure Noct would love it if his dad could be there." Sylva grinned and declared, "Then you leave the adults to me and just worry about yourselves. Do you want me to go pick you up after school?" Prompto shook his head, " Nope, Ignis is going to help me prepare the food for the picnic at 11. Gladio can bring Noct back after they're done."

Prompto and his mom continued chatting until Prompto had to get ready for school, Sylva dealing with the dishes and counting who she could convince to join in on the picnic. As Prompto left their apartment to meet up with his friends, Sylva sent a flurry of messages to Cor, Ventus and Clarus to let them know to clear their lunch hour for a picnic with the children at the back garden.

Lance woke up to a cold bed, yawning as he pushed himself up and glancing at the clock showing the time to be a little after 8:30. The man shuffled out of his room and found his wife just about to leave for her work. Sylva chuckled at the sight of a sleepy Lance, his hair all over the place as the man dragged the nurse into a passionate morning kiss. She playfully pinched his arm in retaliation, "You have horrible morning breath love. Try to be a bit more awake for the picnic, it will be at the inner garden at midday." Lance nodded and wished his wife a good morning, leaning on the door to watch her walk away before going to start his own day. Half an hour later, Lance had checked on Ravus and Luna, both children staying at the Citadel instead of going to school, and had decided to bring them both to his office so they wouldn't be alone after last night's events.

The morning passed by quickly and Prompto bid Noct goodbye as he left to meet with Ignis, ignoring the scowl the prince through his way at his friend's early departure. Ignis was waiting for Prompto by the gated school entrance, a royal car already there to drive them wherever they wanted. " Hey Iggy! I hope I didn't make you wait." Said Prompto as he approached. Ignis smiled at the younger boy and shook his head, ''No you did not Prompto. arrived mere moments ago myself. Shall we get going? I have prepared a small list of things we need to buy in order to prepare the food for the picnic." Prompto nodded and with practiced ease moved from his wheelchair into the car, allowing Ignis to stow his chair in the trunk before joining him inside.

Prompto leaned into Ignis and watched the adviser take out a small notebook, opening it to a marked page filled with a list of ingredients and suggested recipes. "Now then, do you know how many we shall be for the picnic?" Asked Ignis. Prompto nodded, " Well, there is us four plus Ravus and Luna and Gladio said he'd bring Iris too right?" Ignis nodded in confirmation as Prompto continued, "So that's seven and we have to add my parents, Noct and Gladio's dads, your uncle and mine too! So a total of thirteen!" Ignis hummed then scratched off a few of the suggestions written down, "In that case, what do you think of making some Spicy anak wraps and a toasted green bean almond salad with fruit smoothies?" Prompto grinned, " That sounds perfect but you know Noct won't eat any veggies." Ignis smiled, leaned forward to give instructions to the driver before turning back to the younger boy with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, " He won't eat them but he'll be drinking them." Prompto was a bit confused and it showed as Ignis chuckled and said, "You'll see when we make the smoothies." Prompto stared at the future adviser with a surprising thought; _He looks like mom when he has that look in his eyes._

They stopped at a grocery store, taking ten minutes to buys what they needed including several kinds of veggies and fruits for the smoothies Ignis was planning on making. The driver helped to bring everything into the car then to one of the Citadel's kitchen where Prompto was surprised to find a few cooks already starting on some of the preparation for their picnic. Ignis simply smiled and greeting some of the cooks by name before emptying the grocery bags unto the center island for the cooks to use before he grabbed the only bag he didn't empty and turned to Prompto, ''We will leave the cooks to do most of the basic preparation for the ingredients for us. We shall be making the smoothies then assembling everything into proper sized portions for each one of us.''

Prompto nodded looking at the squash, beets, oranges, mango, strawberries and many more fruits that Ignis was putting on a table beside a pair of blenders. Ignis turned to the blond and asked, ''Are you well enough to help me cut all of these into smaller pieces?'' Prompto smiled and pushed himself off his chair to stand beside Ignis, reaching for one of the knifes laid beside a wooden cutting board, ''I'm good Iggy! How do you want me to cut them?'' Ignis smiled fondly at the cheery boy, a hand reaching out to pat him of the head before the future adviser returned his focus to the food in front of them. Ignis guided Prompto on how to properly skin and prepare their bounty to be used in making 3 types of smoothies for their picnic. By midday, everything was ready for the picnic and Gladio had dropped by to let them know Noct had gotten Ravus and Luna into the garden and were waiting for them.

Prompto told Ignis to go ahead, he needed to grab something from his room before meeting his friends for lunch. Ignis was a bit curious but agreed, ''Very well Prompto, we shall await you in the garden.'' Prompto nodded and headed back to his apartment, moving quickly to grab the thick folder he had tucked away on his desk before heading outside into the sunny garden. ''There you are Prompto! Hurry up! I'm hungry!'' Called out Noctis when he spotted his friend arriving. Luna chuckled at Noct's impatience, leaning curled up on Ravus' side. Both Nox Fleuret had dark bags under their eyes, showing the strain of repeated nightmares on their bodies to the worry of everyone around them. Prompto grinned as he looked around, Ventus and Ignis were talking together while setting out the box lunches over the blankets that covered a portion of the grass in the garden. It seemed like Prompto was the last to arrive as everyone else was sitting on the blankets and chatting softly to each other but Prompto didn't mind the looks he got from his friends and family as he got out of the wheelchair to walk the few steps from the stone pathway unto the blankets.

Luna greeted him as he sat down, ''Ignis told us you went to get something before coming, what was it?'' Noct and Ravus both looked interested but before Prompto could answer Gladio and Ignis dropped down to sit beside them, carrying between them enough boxes for all of their small group. Ignis started to divide the boxes, ignoring the grimace of disgust that Noct gave when he opened the box to see the green bean salad sitting beside the wrap. Ravus grinned and teased Noct in a tired but clearly amused voice, '' Whats the matter Noctis? The prince of Lucis can't stand some greens?'' Noct glared at Ravus sticking his tongue out in annoyance at the older teen's teasing before muttering, ''Luna do you want them?'' Luna chuckled even as Ignis sighed, sitting between Noctis and Luna, before admonishing the prince, ''Your Highness, you should at least give it a try before deciding whether you enjoy it or not. Here, perhaps this will help make the taste more pleasant.'' With those words, Ignis passed a cup filled with the vegetable and fruit smoothie Ignis and Prompto had prepared for everyone. Prompto had to duck his head as he watched Noctis drink some of the smoothie and grinned, eyes alight with pleasure and ignorant that the juice contained more vegetable then the small portion of green beans salad present in his lunch box.

Sitting a bit further away from their children, Regis leaned his head back to bask in the warm sunlight of midday, listening half-heartedly as Ventus, Cor and Clarus were discussing how to divide this week's paperwork from the Kingsglaive as they had yet to find anyone to take over Drautos' position as head of the Kingsglaive. He only opened his eyes and concentrated on the conversation when Lance spoke up and proposed an unexpected solution to their dilemma, '' Why not ask Ravus to help out with the Kingsglaive?'' proposed the newly appointed Immigration adviser to the Crown. Lance looked up with a half a wrap in hand only to blush as he was meet with the half-outraged half-shocked expressions of the men; he looked over to where Ravus was reaching to tease Noctis with some of the green beans and explained his reasoning a bit more, '' I believe it might be helpful for him as many of the Kingsglaive have had similar experiences concerning the Niflheim empire as he has. I believe interacting with people with similar experience might help him heal from the trauma in a safer and more peaceful way then what he is currently experiencing.'' Cor frowned but nodded, ''It might certainly help if he can see that he isn't alone in his experience, maybe even help the prince open up about what happened to him in a way that doesn't involve nightmares and panic attacks.'' The Marshall looked over at Clarus and with a look asked the Shield to share his own thoughts, Clarus was frowning even as he gave voice to his thoughts, ''I can see the merits of giving Prince Ravus something to keep his mind occupied and the help would be welcomed but would it be wise to put him amidst such a group of people?'' Ventus nodded his agreement to Clarus' words.

Sylva stayed silent, eating her meal while looking at the children playfully talking and teasing each other, their voices a soft murmur carried by the wind to where the adults were talking. Regis looked over to where Ravus was sitting, Luna still by his side as she had not left it since last night. The King was quite worried about the siblings, the frequent nightmares more prevalent for Ravus then Luna were a clear indication of the traumatising year spent at the mercy of their invaders and Regis wanted nothing more than to help them feel safe and at home within the Crown City. He looked back to his advisers and friends, all of them looking at him expectantly for his decision on the matter, ''What about you Sylva? What do you think of your husband's proposal?'' Sylva smiled peacefully, not looking away from the children even as she answered, ''I think you should ask Ravus what he wants before making the decision for him but it wouldn't hurt to offer him something useful to do that doesn't involve school or keeping an eye on Luna.'' Lance chuckled as Cor sighed, ''I never thought it see the day you'd be the voice of reason.'' Sylva turned around with deliberate slowness to pin her childhood friend with a deadly stare that promised retribution for his comment and Cor meet it with casual and practiced disinterest, both of them ignoring the laughter that bubbled around them as the discussion turned from serious to how good the food was.

The food quickly disappeared among everyone and as time passed by much too quickly, the king and his retinue found themselves returning to their work leaving behind the children to continue enjoying the nice weather under the watchful eyes of maids and guards. Prompto waved goodbye to his parents as they too left to return to work and waited another few minutes before fishing out the folder he had brought from his room and putting it in the middle of the loose circle formed by his friends. The conversation stopped, even Iris stopped chatting at Noctis to turn and stare with innocent curiosity at the folder. Prompto gulped, nervous now that he had everyone staring at him, and forced himself to take a deep breath before explaining what the folder was, ''Umm… We'll you guys know that I'm adopted right?'' Noct nodded even as Ignis replied steadily, ''Yes we are aware of this fact Prompto. I assume this has to do with whatever is in that folder?'' Prompto nodded, tilting his head to stare at his hands before continuing, '' Yes it does. It turns out I'm from Niflheim.'' Prompto flinched at the reaction Ravus had, drawing himself up and away from Prompto and grabbing Luna to drag her back as well.

Luna did the opposite, reaching out to grab Prompto's hand, ignoring the worry emanating from her brother and his attempts to get her to move away. Noctis glared at Ravus and grabbed Prompto's other hand to squeeze it gently. Iris tilted her head and asked her brother, ''Is that a bad thing Gladdy?'' Gladio shook his head with a sigh and his own glare at the older prince even if he understood the source of the reaction, '' Not at all Iris, where a person comes from doesn't matter. Only what they choose to do with themselves. Prompto is my friend and I don't see that changing anything soon.'' Iris nodded with the wise understanding of a child and looked over to a blushing Prompto, getting up so she could hug the blond boy. Prompto smiled a bit teary eyed at the support he was getting and it helped him continue what he wanted to say to their group, ''Thank you but there is more….'' Prompto motioned with head towards the folder and Ignis opened it for all to see. Gladio leaned in to read what was on the first page, followed closely by Ignis, Luna, Noct and even Ravus while Iris just made herself comfortable sitting on Prompto's lap, allowing the nervous boy to hug her tightly.

Prompto closed his eyes, he didn't really want to see the guys reactions when they realized Prompto had been slated to be an MT and was actually infected with the Star Scourge. His anxiety kicking in as he buried his head in Iris' soft hair and forced himself to simply breath while he waited for a reaction, any reaction at all. It finally came in the form of Noctis throwing himself at Prompto to hug him as tightly as he could, Prompto falling backwards on his back from the force and Iris protesting being squished between the two boys. ''Sorry Iris.'' Noct mumbled as he shifted so he wasn't on top of the young girl but without letting go of Prompto. Prompto was too shocked by the sudden hug to move or say anything even as he felt himself being picked up by Gladio and pulled along with Noct into another hug. Prompto looked from Noctis to Gladio and then to where Ignis was still browsing through the files but meet his eyes with a sad but sincere smile of comfort. Prompto felt a few tears slide down his cheeks as he realised he had nothing to worry about despite what his anxiety told him. ''Its ok Prom. I don't care where you were born! You're a citizen of Lucis and my best friend!'' Prompto was finally able to return Noct's hug, hiding his face in his friend's neck with a choked sob of relief. ''Thank you!'' He whispered before gathering his courage to look at how Luna and Ravus were reacting.

Luna had a hand grasping her brother's sleeve, a hand over her mouth in shock at what she was reading while Ravus had a single sheet of paper grasped in trembling hands. The paper was easily recognizable to Prompto, it was one he had spent many hours reading and rereading, the weekly status update spanning the 8 months and 6 days he had spent in the MT nursery with the details of Scourge administration and physical reviews he had endured during those months. Prompto hesitated before he forced himself to look at Ravus' face. His eyes widened as he took in the horrified expression plastered for all to see on the Tenebraen Prince, just then Ravus turned and meet Prompto's eyes with almost unbearable sadness in his eyes. Ravus opened his mouth trying to speak but he couldn't find the proper words to express himself toward the young boy. Prompto offered the prince a smile and motioned for the older prince to come over, Ravus did so after sharing a look with his sister. As soon as Ravus was close enough, Prompto pulled him into a hug of his own and felt Ravus shudder against him before the the mumbled words of regret started, '' I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I shouldn't have reacted like that. Please forgive me!'' Prompto hugged Ravus close and replied, voice shaking only a little, ''I forgive you. Can we still be friends?'' Prompto felt more then heard Ravus reply in the nod he gave.

Luna joined the hug soon after, one arm around her brother and the other around Prompto with Noctis half squished between all of them while Iris pouted at being left out of the group hug only to be lifted by Gladio and both joined in on what was fast becoming a cuddle session in the peaceful afternoon. After a while, Ignis finished reading through all the documents; his face turned into a worried frown as he processed all the information he had just read while gazing in worry at Prompto smiling face. '' Prompto, I appreciate the trust you have put in us by showing us these documents but I must ask why?'' Ignis' voice was carefully devoid of all emotions and Prompto looked over to meet Ignis' gaze with a bashful look of his own. Prompto pushed himself out of the cuddle pile until he was sitting up, Noctis' head on his lap and finger threading through the raven locks before he answered, '' Because I need some help with something if you guys are up to it.''

Prompto's statement had everyone rising from the delightful stupor of a good cuddle session and made Prompto feel a bit sorry for interrupting the calm and lovely atmosphere that had surrounded the group. Ignis shifted and asked, ''Of course, what would you like us to help you with?'' Prompto sighed, a hand lifting to cup the back of his head before he explained his request, ''You saw the report Ignis, including the one about the programming imbedded in all MT candidates. I can't allow that to happen to me.'' Ignis tensed and was about to say something when Gladio beat him to it, ''Dont you dare even consider that!'' Prompto turned around to look at Gladio who had an angry expression and was staring at Prompto. Ravus nodded from where he was and added, ''And you had better not be asking us to take you out on the tiny chance it does happen.'' The prince looked just as angry at the idea. Prompto looked at the subsequent nods from everywhere around him, even Iris who obviously didn't understand what what was going on.

Prompto smiled, grateful to have found such great friends, ''That's not it! I just want you guys to help me look into what they were able to do before I escaped since they only marked that it had been started but not at what level they had done by that time.'' There was a sigh of relief coming from everyone and Noctis got up to wrap his arms around Prompto once again. Ignis frowned, ''And how do you plan to find that?'' Prompto shifted then answered, ''By forcing the programming to surface.'' Prompto flinched at the multiple roars of ''WHAT!'' that resounded loudly enough to make the guards and maids look over to them in worry only to be waved off by Ignis. Noctis looked at Prompto like he was going crazy and Prompto hurried to explain, ''Just listen to me please! The more I know about what was done to me when I was still in Niflheim the better. That way we can make sure it never happens! I know it sounds crazy but I trust you guys to make sure I'm okay no matter what happens. So please? Help me with this?'' Ignis shared a look with Gladio, both teenagers feeling conflicted with the request while the others tried to talk Prompto out of it. In the end, Ignis asked Prompto to explain what he had in mind in more details and the group spent the rest of their afternoon hashing out details and schedule on how to accomplish what Prompto was adamant on doing without any of their parents knowing about it.


	12. Galahad part 1

''So you left your 15 year old son in charge while you decide to take a weeklong vacation?'' asked Navalus, chosen elder and head hunter of his tribe; his first words to a man he had not seen in over 30 years while shaking his hand. Regis grinned and replied, ''Noctis is almost 16 and has been demanding I treat him as an adult now that he no longer lives within the Citadel. This will serve both as a lesson and much needed experience for him.'' Regis looked carefully at the man dressed in traditional clothe reserved for elders of distinction within the 25 tribe that called Galahad their home. A few inches taller than the king, Navalus had several tattoos, marks of honor, spread across his tanned skin; his eyes were a dusky blue that shone with mirth and the wicked sense of humor Regis knew all too well from being the victim of Navalus' many pranks while they traveled together.

Standing a few steps behind him Cor and Clarus were waiting for their turn to greet the Galahadian hunter leaving Ventus to wait patiently for someone to introduce him to their host. Regis finally turned around and motioned to his retinue as he addressed his old friend again, ''I believe you remember Cor and Clarus.'' Both men grinned, ''And this is Ventus Scientia, my adviser. Ventus, this is Navalus Avax the man who saved my life while we were escaping from Niflheim forces and our host for this week.'' While Cor and Clarus greeted the man with clasped wrsits and a slap on the back, Ventus bowed politely and said, ''A pleasure to meet you Elder Avax. I thank you for your hospitality.'' Navalus raised an eyebrow at the polite greeting, shooting a glance at Regis before returning to look at the Royal Adviser. ''Well I'll be damned, I'm guessing you must be pretty busy keeping Reg over here from making a utter fool of himself everytime he opens his mouth.'' Navalus grins with sheer amusement as he ignores the outraged induce chocking sound Regis made in order to drape an arm over Ventus' shoulders, ''Any man who can manage that feat is more than welcome to my home and hearth. Don't worry about your stuff, the kids will see that it's brought to your rooms.''

It didn't take long for the men to find themselves sitting in Navalus' living room, drinks in hand and chatting about everything that had happened since they last parted ways. ''So you and Cid finally stopped being stubborn fools and talked with each other. That explains why he hasn't dropped by to complain about you in a while though he now has a kid in his care too right?'' asked Navalus. Regis shifted a bit embarrassed, before taking a swing of his drink and answered, ''Cor managed to convince Cid and Weskham to come back to Insomnia without letting me know about it. I didn't have much choice in talking with them when him and Sylva locked us in a room together until we sorted things out.'' Cor chuckled, ''You are both too stubborn for your own good. But ya Cid is taking care of his granddaughter now, the poor kid lost her parents to daemons and only survived because Cid was close by when it happened. He's got his own garage in Hammerhead now and is doing pretty good for himself as a mechanic.'' Navalus grinned and was about to tease Cor about this Sylva when someone knocked at the door, ''Come in!'' Navalus half shouted, turning to look as the door opened and his nephew came in, ''Sorry Uncle but you asked to be notified when the hunters came back, they just sent a runner to say they would be arriving in an hour or so.'' Navalus grinned, ''Thank you Nyx, I'll be out to greet them when they arrive then.'' Nyx grinned, looking at the drink his Uncle had in hand before scoffing and leaving without another word.

Clarus asked, ''And that was?'' to which Navalus answered, ''My nephew, Nyx Ulric, and probably one of the best hunters of my tribe. He will be helping with the security around the negotiations.'' Clarus nodded and the discussion turned to the real reason why the Lucian King was present in Galahad, the renegotiation of the alliance Galahad-Lucis signed almost 50 years ago. The plan was for 5 days of straight negotiation, followed by a day of Galahad style celebration to mark whatever is decided at the end of the week. Navalus had been appointed by the other elders to serve as host for the Royal Retinue since he was an old friend of the Lucis King. The rest of the evening was spent talking about the various points that would likely emerge during the negotiations and what Regis could expect from the rest of the elders but Navalus didn't expect any trouble. The alliance between Lucis and Galahad had always been strong and well balanced with Galahad serving as a buffer between Niflheim and Lucis on their eastern border while Lucis provided Galahad with whatever help Galahad requested.

The negotiations went well, Regis and Ventus enjoying the fun of verbal sparring with the Elders of Galahad while Clarus and Cor enjoyed meeting the hunters of Galahad, who served also as soldiers when needed. The days always ended with a banquet of food and drinks, where stories and traditions were exchanged for the pleasure of everyone present those nights. Cor enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, while he and Clarus were there as bodyguards for Regis, there was little for him to do as the hunters of Galahad did a great job at ensuring that no one went where they shouldn't and in general, the people of Galahad had no reason to want to harm his king. As he drank what one of the hunters had given him, Cor looked over to see Regis talking with a group of children with a serious expression as though he was talking with one of the elders or a noble back in Insomnia. A smile was plastered on Cor's face and he enjoyed the warmth that came from a stiff drink and good company, ''I'm glad to see you are enjoying yourself Cor.'' Said Navalus as he moved up to stand beside the Marshall. Cor shifted to look at his friend whose eyes were filled with happiness and satisfaction as Navalus watched as his people laughter and enjoyed the presence of their guests.

''I am, I had forgotten how much you Galahadian loved a good party.'' Cor teased, joining the other in his people watching. Navalus chuckled low in his throat and took a half step closer to Cor, allowing a hand to brush against the Marshall's arm, '' I hope that's the only thing you've forgotten about your last stay.'' Teased in return making Cor shiver as the man's voice and words reminded Cor of the memories he had of his time here while Regis had been recovering from his injuries. Navalus noticed the shiver with a satisfied smirk, shifting closer to Cor until he was pressed against the younger man completely, ''Navalus…' Cor half moaned at the sensation of Navalus pressing a soft kiss to the side of his neck. ''Yes Cor?'' whispered Navalus into his ear, ''If you are worried about my wife, don't be, you should know by now that all are free to enjoy the pleasures of life within Galahad and that includes sharing that pleasure with someone else.'' Cor bit his lips to prevent a moan from emerging as Navalus took a hold of Cor's waist and drew him closer to his own. Navalus smirked and nuzzled against Cor's neck, ''Let me remind you of the joys we shared during your last visit.'' Cor sighed, it had been a long while since he had last enjoyed himself and Navalus had never expected anything from Cor in return for the pleasure the man gave during their nights together. Cor nodded, taking the time to send Clarus a quick message indicating where he was before following Navalus into the deepening night.

Cor was woken up a few hours later by shouts of terror followed by the all too familiar sound of Niflheim airship approaching, a look beside him showed Navalus already up and getting dressed quickly. Cor followed the older man's lead, getting dressed and making sure he had his sword close by before he ran over to where Regis was, finding his king with Clarus and Ventus just getting out of their rooms. ''Are you alright?'' Cor asked Regis as soon as he saw him, feeling a part of him relax at the answering nod before Clarus swore, leaning out of an open window. ''It's a damn invasion! We need to get out of here now Regis!'' Cor nodded and saw Ventus reach into his pockets and bring out the keys to the Regalia, parked safely out of sight. Regis shook his head, ''We can't simply leave them to face a Niflheim fleet all alone!'' the king argued as he turned to their host, fully intent on helping them as much as he could, only to see Navalus jump down through a window.

Cor swore, leaning out to see Navalus land in a roll, kukris' held in both hands as the Elder started shouting orders to his people without a moment of hesitation, ''Wake everyone up and get the elders and children to safety! Hunters! Spread out and get ready, we must not allow harm to come to our guests! Send runners to the other tribes, warn them of the attack!'' Hunters responded quickly, some heading to where mothers were gathering their children together while others headed towards the edge of the town as the Niflheim airships approached slowly, stopped and started dropping the MTs store within their hulls. Cor glanced back at the horrified expression on Regis' face as Clarus grabbed his arm and started dragging him behind Ventus. Cor joining the adviser, ready to fight should it be necessary. The Marshall wanted nothing more than to join Navalus and the hunters of Galahad in fighting against the Niflheim force but he knew his priority was ensuring the safety of his king not to mention that the sheer numbers of airships he had seen clouding the skies made it clear it would be impossible to fight them off without serious help.

As Cor opened the back door, leading to where the Regalia was parked, he swore and took out his sword with a shout to warn Clarus standing behind him, ''Drautos!'' The former commander of the Kingsglaive stood in the daemon made armor except without the usual face plate that had hidden his face as General Glauca, standing in front of the Regalia with an almost bored expression on his face. Several Mts stood with their guns pointing at the door behind the general, waiting for orders with the single minded motionless dedication of the daemon controlled mechanical infantry; ''I was wondering how long it would take for you to run away once again Regis. I wonder what excuse you will give this time since your son isn't there to be one this time.'' Wondered Drautos in a bored manner. Cor felt Clarus move to stand beside him, a quick glance behind him showed Ventus with a firm hand on the King's arm to keep the man from acting reckless.

Drautos smirked at the sight of Cor and Clarus standing ready to fight him but that wasn't his intention, a raising hand had both soldiers tensing and reacting when the MTs started shooting. Clarus used his broadsword to try and block as many bullets as he could from reaching the two men behind him while Cor charged ahead and struck down the closest of the Nif MTs. He was prevented from cutting down more when Drautos interfered, a sword swinging downwards towards Cor's head even as some of the MT shifted to aim at the Marshall. Cor was forced to block the sword, Drautos' swing strong enough to force Cor down to a knee. ''Not nearly as strong as I feared, maybe I'll drag you back and hand you over to Versteal. He has been looking for new test subjects.'' Sneared the Niflheim General as he pressed Cor down further, keeping him in place so the MT's could get a shot in on the nimble Marshall. Regis reacted quickly as he saw Cor being pinned down by the traitorous Drautos and about to be shot, his hand rising as he called upon the magic of the Crystal, phantom blades appearing around the king and shooting towards the enemy.

Drautos saw the blades coming, jumping back and blocking the attack while Cor did his best to dodge the bullets sent his way, adrenaline allowing him to ignoring the grazes left as he twisted out of the way. ''Cor! Deal with the MTs! Ventus get his Majesty out of her as soon as you can! Drautos is mine!'' Roared Clarus as he followed jumped forward after Drautos, his own sword clashing against the General's as he forced the traitor away from Cor, Regis and Ventus. Cor didn't hesitate to follow Clarus' orders, heading straight for the Mts still between his majesty and the Regalia with the intention of destroying them as quickly as possible. Regis gritted his teeth as Ventus forced the King behind him as his friends fought, as soon as he saw an opening, Ventus dragged Regis behind him towards the car only stopping once to take out a still functioning MT before he shoved the door open and force Regis in, ignoring the king's outrage at being manhandled so rudely. Ventus closed the door before running to the other side of the car to get into the driver's seat, shouting at the two soldiers as he did, ''Let's go!''

The shout from Ventus had Drautos shift his attention from where he had been toying with the Shield to see as the Regalia started and Cor jumped in the passenger seat, the distraction gave Clarus all he needed as the man gathered his strength and with a roar, pushed Drautos away before turning and jumping into the Regalia as Regis opened to door for his Shield. Ventus didn't wait to confirm that Clarus was in before pressing the gas pedal and forcing the Regalia to speed up faster than ever before, the engine only keeping up because of all the modification Cid had made to its engine over the last few years. Drautos swore as he watched the slick black car speed away, raising a hand to give out his next command to the troops, ''Send 3 airships after the king, all other troops is to continue their advance on Galahad. Kill all those who resist, Galahad has been a torn in the emperor's side for far too long already.'' The human soldiers reply to his command and Drautos watched in satisfaction as three airships split from the group and started after the speeding car, disappearing around the corner of the large home.

Regis looked in worry as Clarus caught his breath beside him, his sword disappearing in order for the man to materialize his shield instead, the sights of MTs simply walking through the street of what had been only a few hours ago a cheerful and joyous town reminded him all too painfully of the attack on Tenebrae. Cor shot the king a look through the mirror, worry evident as he watched Regis struggle with the desire to simply run out of the car and destroy as many MTs he could before dying himself, it was a feeling Cor was all too familiar with and he hoped that Regis would be able to contain his desire to help with the thoughts of his son, waiting for him in Insomnia. Maybe it would have been enough had the sudden scream of children not been heard, piercing the night in a horrifying manner. Regis swore and before Clarus or Cor could reach out to grab him, the king had thrown himself out of the moving car and was up and running towards the source of the screams.

He found where the children and elderly people had tried to hide easily enough thanks to the children screaming and running out from one of the smaller sheds at the outskirts of town. ''Save mom!'' a girl shouted from somewhere close and Regis didn't hesitate to move towards them. The king had his sword in hand and the ring of the Lucii ready as he turned the corner and found a young girl, eyes closed and arms raised to protect herself, standing in front of an injured and bleeding Nyx who was pressing unto a horrifying injury on an older woman's torso, likely their mother. As the MTs mercilessly moved to cut the brave child down, Regis acted invoking a barrier between the attackers that prevented the girl from being killed as he roared in anger and threw himself into a fight. He was only barely aware of Cor and Clarus joining him soon after, his thoughts firmly in the action of protecting as many of the fleeing children as he could regardless of the cost to himself. He felt the ring thrum with power as his ancestor approved of the rage in the face of mindless and cruel slaughter, the rage allowing Regis to ignore the growing exhaustion creeping up the more he fought and cast magic. Every time Cor or Clarus attempted to drag their king away from the fight, Regis would warp away leaving them to fight their way back to his side.

It was only a matter of time before Regis fell into stasis, his body shutting down and he swore as he felt the Wall shudder as it tried to draw magic that was no longer there. Regis fell to his knees, panting and only dimly aware of his surroundings; _I'm sorry Noctis. I am a fool._ The King raised his eyes to stare at the MT stopping in front of him, an arm raised to show the flamethrower ready to be used. Cor shouted as he saw his king kneeling in defeat, the Marshall was too far away to help and a quick glance showed that Clarus was too. As the flames roared out of the MT's outstretched arm and surrounded their king and friend a blurred shaped tackled the kneeling man out of the way, a scream of pain following as their king's savior suffered the fate that Regis had barely escaped. Regis shouted as he realized who had saved his life most likely at the cost of his own, ''NAVALUS!'' Even as the burning shape forced itself back to its feet, kukris firmly held in its hands, Navalus threw his last strength into destroying the invaders that threatened his people, friends and country.

As he destroyed the flame wielding MT, a sudden rain started out of nowhere, the drops of rain hissing as they hit the MTs and daemons. ''Kingsglaive! Spread out! All injured are to be evacuated immediately for treatment! Get the civilians away from the fighting!'' Ravus ordered his soldiers as he jumped off his motorcycle to run towards Regis, still weak and unsteady from his stasis status. A quick look showed numerous cuts and minor injuries on the King and Ravus decided to leave it to Ventus who he could see was moving toward the king as quickly as the adviser could. Ravus looked around spotting Clarus and Cor fighting the suddenly weakened Niflheim troops and the commander of the Kingsglaive barked, ''Get the king out of here now! The Kingsglaive will deal with the situation here!'' He didn't wait for an answer as he plunged into the chaos caused by the cure tainted rain as it rained down thanks to the magic of his best magic users.

Ventus dropped beside the king, his hand holding unto an ether and forcing his liege to take it and use it, Clarus dropping down to pick his charge up, heart still beating much too fast after the near death experience. Cor swallowed as he forced himself to go check on Navalus, lying all too still on the ground, his flesh charred from the flames and kukris still held in his hands. He was shocked beyond belief when he noticed the minute shift of his friend's chest rising, ''Navalus!'' Cor shouted, dropping down to hold unto the barely breathing man. Pain filled eyes cracked open to look at Cor, unable to focus beyond the blurred edges of the man holding him up but it didn't prevent Navalus from recognizing his occasional lover. Cor looked up in panic about to shout at Ventus for an elixir when he had one thrown at him. Cor didn't waste any time, tugging the kukri from one hand and replacing it by the elixir and forcing the hand to break it. The magical elixir did its job, healing as much as it could but not all of the damage from the fighting but at least Cor was certain that Navalus would survive his suicidal rescue. Clarus called out to Cor, allowing the Marshall to refocus as he lifted the injured man off the ground and hurried after his friends and away from the slowly winding down fighting. The four men plus Navalus got into the Regalia with Ventus once more at the wheel and the adviser wasted no time in locking the doors before driving away.

Ravus fell into the familiar movement of warp strikes and counters as he carved his way through the Niflheim troops, this time he was able to help and do something as he destroyed one of the Iron giants half melted by the cure. Ravus looked up at the numerous airships floating above the town, dropping an almost endless amount of MTs unto the ground, ''Infiltration team ready!'' the voice of Irine called out from his ear piece and Ravus grinned in satisfaction, ''Destroy the airships!'' moments after giving the command, Ravus saw the telltale glint of warping appearing at the top of many of the airships engines followed by an explosion that illuminated the predawn sky. He witness with almost gleeful satisfaction as the engines failed and caused their own explosions that rained metallic debris all over the town, dangerous but it would prevent further reinforcements from dropping down. ''You seemed to have made quite the advancement for yourself Prince Ravus…'' A voice said calmly from behind the Kingsglaive commander. Ravus tensed up, fear and memories from his time in Niflheim custody resurfacing as Ravus turned to look at General Glauca, walking slowly, almost leisurely toward the man. Ravus tightened his grip on his sword, shivering at the memories of his torture at the general's hand as well as the still nightmare inducing ones of his mother's death, as he faced one of his nightmares head on.

Glauca chuckled, lifting his sword and told the prince, ''At least I won't be returning empty handed to Niflheim,.'' Just before attacking. Ravus dodge the first slice of the sword, wincing as he saw it rend the ground with ease, before trying to counter sending his own sword towards the general's head with the clear intent of separating said head from the rest of his body. Glauca chuckled, dropped one hand off the handle of his sword in order to catch the blade in it. Ravus stared in shock at the sight of the deamonic General's unconcerned attitude; he only barely noticed the kick the General sent his way. Ravus wasn't able to dodge it completely, twisting so the kick would land on his arm instead of a softer spot and feeling the bone break from the force delivered as he went flying backwards, rolling several time before managing to scramble back to his feet. Glauca waited and stared at the injured prince, throwing aside the blade before starting to approach the still immature boy with deliberate slowness. Glauca was so intent on taking in the growing fear visible on Ravus' face that he noticed too late as several bottles flew towards him, the General turning around and using his hand to break the bottles before they got too close. As the contents of it flew from within, Glauca roared in pain as the liquid burnt him where ever it touched; the unusual sensation making the General take several steps back until he felt something give behind him. Glauca fell with a swear down the ledge of the river, his weight pulling him under the raging current and by the time the man had managed to get out, he found himself a long way from his prey.

Back at the town, Ravus hissed as one of the Glaives who had come to his aid forced the broken bones back together so they could be healed properly by one of the healers. ''You alright Commander?'' asked Ludic, a duscaen born Glaive and the man who had all but adopted Ravus when the prince had first started interacting with the Kingsglaive. Ravus nodded hesitantly, ''Thank to you all.'' he replied to the sigh of the group. Ludic shook his head at their commander's well known stubbornness but left it at that for now, ''Niflheim is retreating at the moment but they will most likely return soon to try again and we won't be able to hold them. We won because they didn't expect us and because the hunters and his Majesty were able to buy us time to get here but we won't be able to hold them off once they come back.'' Ravus nodded and ordered, ''Let's get moving then, I want to whole town evacuated as soon as possible. Allow the people to grab some of their belongings but the town is to be completely empty by nightfall. Send word to Lance with details on numbers of those who wish to enter Insomnia and those who want to stay outside of it. Have a group started in rigging the surrounding with traps, we might not be able to save this town but we can at least cause some damage when Niflheim returns.'' ''Yes Sir!'' the glaives acknowledged, each heading out to give their squads orders and set things into motion, the only one staying beside him being Ludic who waited patiently for Ravus to get a hold on his emotions before giving him a phone, ''Call your aunt if you need too, I'll stay here and keep you safe till you get back on your feet.'' Ravus glared at the older man but accepted the phone in his uninjured hand, it was his own, and thumbing the proper icon. ''Aunt Sylva? Do you have time to talk?''


	13. Galahad part 2

In Insomnia, Noctis was woken up by a frantic Ignis and Gladio, both pale and scared as they hurried the prince into a car and away from his apartment without saying anything more than, ''The Wall has fallen.'' leaving Noctis in a state of shock as he stared at the clear night sky, unhindered by the normal soft glow of his father's Wall. His thoughts were in a mess as mind kept repeating the only conclusion he could draw from it, his father was dead! Gladio and Ignis were avoiding looking at Noctis for more then the occasional glance as Gladio drove like a mad man through the empty streets of the Crown City while Ignis talked on his phone. As they finally entered the ground of the Citadel, Noctis gasped, putting his window down completely and sticking his head out of the window staring at the sky before collapsing back in his seat as Ignis turned around to drag him back inside the safety of the car. ''Noctis! What are you doing?'' Exclaimed the overwrought adviser as he stared worried at his friend and prince who was covering his face and shaking where he sat. ''Shit!'' Swore Gladio causing Ignis to whip back to look at the King's Shield who was slowing down and leaning forward to look above them. With a frown of his own, Ignis followed their example and felt the utter fear and worry start fading away. The Wall was back, flickering as it expanded to cover the city as though nothing had ever happened. Ignis raised his phone back to his ear as Gladio sped back up but the sense of panic that had filled the car was no longer as present. Prompto met them at the private entrance of the Royal quarters, hugging Noctis who was still trembling a bit, tear stains showing on pale cheeks , before telling them what he knew, ''Galahad was attacked by Niflheim. They're all safe but,'' he looked at Noctis, '' your dad ended up in stasis which is why the Wall fell. He's safe though with Uncle Cor and the others. Ravus is there leading the Kingsglaive in getting as many people evacuated as possible. If nothing else happens then they'll arrive in two maybe three days.''

Noctis almost collapsed in relief at the news, hugging Prompto tightly before turning to Ignis and Gladio as he wiped his face quickly. ''They'll want to call a meeting and we need to know as much as we can before then. Gladio, can you go get Luna? I'm going to need her help with this. Ignis make sure this doesnt get out to any of the news outlets then meet me in Dad's office.'' Gladio and Ignis both nodded, leaving Noctis to Prompto as they each went to do as their prince asked. Prompto followed after Noctis, heading straight for the King's office where any and all information on the situation would be sent for Noctis to see and where the prince would have to make decision on what to do now. Noct wasnt too surprised when he opened the door to find Lance talking on his phone while a maid put a fresh pot of coffee on the side table with cups, milk and sugar beside it before slipping quietly away. Noctis sighed as he reached for a cup, adding several spoon full of sugar before drinking it all at once and then refilling it, there was no doubt in his mind he was going to need the caffeine until his dad returned safe and sound within the Citadel walls.

-5 days later-

Noctis growled in frustration as he stomped over to where Prompto was stretched out on their couch, the teen working on some of their assigned homework. Prompto looked up as the prince dropped heavily across his boyfriend with a whine and the mumbled, ''Dad is an idiot!'' that had Prompto laughing at Noct's pouting. Prompto hummed as he moved his homework aside in order to cart his fingers through the black hair, ''How bad was he coming in? And should I be calling Mom?'' Noct chuckled, ''She was there with me, lecturing Dad on needing to take better care of himself but…'' Noctis shifted to cuddle against Prompto, eyes darkening with worry and fear, ''He insisted on staying with the refugees so he could heal as many as he could. He even sneaked out to back track to them the first night they stopped! I haven't seen him like this since before you came to the Citadel…'' Prompto hugged Noctis closer, feeling his boyfriend's shoulder tremble against him, ''It's going to be ok. Mom and Luna are going to make sure your dad gets some proper rest until he's back to normal. Plus I'm sure mom will gladly help you prank your dad in retaliation for making everyone worry so much. What do you think? Should we slip pink hair dye into his shampoo?''

Prompto grinned in relief when Noctis started laughing at his suggestion, the prince pushing himself up to look at Prompto's face and he leaned forward to give Noctis a kiss. ''Thanks Prom, I don't know what I'd do without you.'' Said Noctis with a happy grin. Prompto grinned back and offered, ''Want to head out and see how we can help at the Center?'' Noctis nodded, ''I'm sure they'll have plenty for us to do considering how many Galahadians have accepted to come live in Insomnia.'' Prompto grinned, leaving his half-finished homework on the table as both teens left their apartment, Prompto following Noct to the elevator as he sent a message to Gladio and Ignis: Noct is back from the Citadel, a bit shaken from seeing his dad. Taking him down to the Center to help out. Going incognito. Come join us?

The blond puts his phone away and steps in after Noct, grinning as he swings an arm around Noctis' shoulder and asks, ''So what name are you going to be using today?'' Noctis grinned as he thought about it, ''Noct Gar.'' was his answer to the delight of his friend as they made their way to their destination. Halfway there, Prompto got a reply from both older teens telling him they would meet him and Noctis at the Center after they were done with their studies. Prompto hummed as he sent a quick reply before following Noctis off the train and up to the streets, it had changed quite bit since the first time he had gone over to the Refugee Center with his mom. The streets were cleaner; the homes and various businesses in the area were busy and almost everyone was smiling and helping each other out when needed. As the duo moved closer to their destination, they noticed a sharp increase of people moving about, most of those people were wearing Galahadian style clothing and holding smaller children close by. Noct and Prompto didn't have to wait to find something to do as they were walking up to the entrance a voice called out to Prompto. ''Hey Prompto! Came to lend a hand?''

Prompto turned around to face the owner of the voice, an ex-kingsglaive that had been forced to retire due to injuries about 3 years ago, ''Yup! Figured you could use some extra hands around here! I got two other friends who are going to drop by later.'' Prompto jogs over to the older man with a grin, followed by Noct in his easy going pace, and gives the ex-soldier a playful salute, ''Prompto reporting for duty! This is Noct by the way.'' He adds almost as an afterthought. The man chuckles and return the salute with what is left of the scarred hand and bade both teenagers to follow after him, ''They need extra hands setting up apartments with furniture and basic necessities so follow me and I'll show you where to go.'' Prompto looked back at Noct, a wordless question in his gaze and Noctis replied with a shrug, he could handle moving a few things just not the heavy stuff for too long. The group walked down the streets until they reached on of the newest apartment complex, built to be used exclusively by new immigrants while they found more permanent lodging within the city.

''Kev! I found you two extra sets of hands!'' the older man shouted as he walked up to a black skinned man who was pointing at a truck parked nearby, Kev turned around to look at Noctis and Prompto as they approached. ''Thanks, I got it from here. Send anyone else with muscles my way, we have 3 others buildings to do after this one.'' Kev waited until both boys were standing in front of him before he introduced himself, '' Hey Prompto, whose your friend? Name is Kev, I'm in charge of making the new apartments ready to move in. Can you manage some heavy lifting?'' Noct grinned and replied, '' I'm Noct, I can do some heavy lifting but not for long.'' Kev nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face before he smiled and told the guys, ''A pity but I don't want either of you get hurt so you'll both be helping with the welcome bags.'' Noct tilted his head, ''Welcome bags?'' Prompto grinned and then swung his arms around Noct as he took over the explanation, '' Welcome bags are giving to every family or person who arrive in Insomnia, Dad thought it up when he saw how little some of the refugee had when they get here. Its filled with basic stuff like toothbrushes, tooth paste, towels, shampoo and conditioner. Its supposed to help them feel welcome in the city!'' Kev nodded and then motioned for both teens to follow him, '' I'll show you the room we put all the stuff in. There are papers with what to put in the bags so if you both can make them it would be a great help.''

Noct and Prompto both nodded as they followed Kev into the building and towards one of the large common rooms built into the place to help people create connection and build relations with the other families living in the same place. This room had been transformed into a temporary work station where several refugees and volunteers were working on making the bags while children played around, ''Just find a table and follow the lists on there on what to put in the bags. Thanks for the help and let someone know if you guys need anything.'' Said Kev as he held the door open for the teenagers before leaving them to it. Prompto grinned as he took in the sight of some many people showing up to help in one way or another, he knew that most of those here had used the Center before or were immigrants from outside of Insomnia but it was still nice to see that people would still help each other in these kinds of situation, ''Looks like there are some spots over there, come on Noct!'' said Prompto as he moved towards a large plastic table where two elderly women were working with bright yellow fabric with practiced hands. Noct grinned and followed his friend more than a little amused as he realized that the women were making tiny chocobo plushies to add into the bags.

Noct chuckled and shook his head, ''I think I'll leave you help out making those. I'll do something I can actually accomplish without making a mess of things.'' He told the cheerful blond before looking around the room himself. Most of the people there had stopped what they were doing when the duo had entered and were now slowly getting back into their work, Noct saw a few children half hidden behind the legs of the adults, looking scared, and Noct gave the children a soft smile. He was quite relieved to see some of the children smile back at him after a few moments of hesitation before moving to find a place where he was needed, one of the few men there motioned for Noct to come over, ''Looking for something to do?'' the man asked as Noctis approached. Noctis grinned and replied, ''Yup. What can I do to help?'' The man nodded and explained, ''We could use some help with making the toiletry bags. Take a list from over there and put one of each things into a bag then put the finished bag on that table over there.'' He pointed at various places around the room and waited to see Noct nod before he returned to his work, followed closely by the prince. Noct lost himself in the mindless work of going around the room, picking things from different tables and dropping the full bag on another. He cast frequent glances at Prompto, bent over the table while chatting with the two elderly ladies while his hands were pinning and sewing the bright yellow fabric into tiny chocobos.

An hour later saw Ignis and Gladio arrive, directed to where Noct and Prompto were by virtue of Prompto reputation as Lance's son and his semi frequent charity exposition of his pictures which helped the Center have extra funds when needed; Gladio being recruited without a thought into helping move the heavy boxes of 'build it yourself' beds and other such furniture where they were needed while Ignis went to meet up with the younger boys. ''Hey Iggy!'' Prompto greeted the man as he walked in, Noct glancing up a bit confused at not seeing Gladio with Ignis. Ignis smiled and returned the greeting, ''Hello Prompto, Noct. Gladio was kidnapped into helping out bringing the furniture up to their proper places.'' Ignis added the explanation for Noct's benefit when he saw the confused look the prince had on his face. ''Figured, the big guy does have plenty of muscle and energy to throw around. How was your day?'' Noct sighed as he grabbed a new bag to begin, relying almost solely on muscle memory by this time to finish his self-appointed task. Prompto grinned from where he was slipping one of the chocobo under the table to the waiting hand of a child, he watched as Ignis moved over to the table where people were putting together everything for the welcome bags. Even as Ignis replied to Noct's question, the adviser seemed to fit seamlessly in the small group, taking a look at the list of things going in each finished bag and quickly going to work, his leather glad hands moving with confidence to pick and sort through the almost overwhelming amount of other different colored bags pilled before him. His quick hands and quiet confidence in managing such tasks drew not so subtle looks of surprise the others threw the well dressed and obviously Lucian man. One of the ladies at Prompto's table huffed and muttered, ''If someone like him is here then perhaps there is hope in a better future after all.'' making Prompto look at the smaller lady with a curious tilt of his head. The lady caught it and patted Prompto grandmotherly on his hand, ''Nothing for you to worry about dear. Here hold these together for me.''

Night had fallen by the time the boys walked out of the apartment building, tired but satisfied with their day and with Noct relaxed and more than a little sleepy; Prompto asked, ''Let's go grab something to eat!'' Gladio grinned, ''Sounds good Prom, any suggestions anyone?'' Ignis hummed as he suggested, ''Why not some Galahadian delicacy? We are in the area and I would like to see what their usual fare is.'' Noctis jerked up at the suggestion, ''I'm pretty sure Dad said they usually eat a lot of spicy stuff. I want to try it!'' The other three guys looked at each other in amusement and Prompto teased, ''Well if that what you want, I guess we have no choice but to find the best place to eat real Galahadian food! Just don't complain if it's too spicy for your royal tongue, Noct'' With a goal in mind and stomachs empty, the four teens walked around, mostly following Prompto, as they tried to find where to eat. In the end, Prompto managed to get the name of a food stall in the night market that apparently served the best authentic Galahadian food, The Hunters Lodge. Finding the food stall amidst the sea of other such small set ups within the market proved surprisingly easy as the quickly noticed a long line of people, mostly what appeared to be Galahad families and groups, forming among the crowd. Noctis stopped in shock as he saw how long the line was, shrinking down on himself in semi annoyance that he might have to wait for a long time to eat, something that Ignis realized quickly and mentioned, ''We do not need to remain here if you'd rather not Noct. I'm sure we can come back another time.'' Gladio nodded, he had been on edge since entering the night market as everyone stared at the Lucian members of their group. A few looks had been a bit too filled with anger and disgust for Gladio to be comfortable surrounded by possible threats to the prince, Prompto on the other hand was moving towards the stall not quite ignoring the lineup but definitively intent on seeing the stall himself before deciding whether it would be worth the wait or not.

The food stall was a simple wood chip grill with an overhanging leather cloth on top, the group cooking had enough similar features that Prompto felt comfortable identifying them as a blood related family and they looked busy! There were several tables set out in front of the stall, all of them filled by families or groups that looked as though they had just stepped out of a war zone and into the streets of Insomnia's Immigrant District. Even as Prompto looked, a young teenage girl was hurrying from one of the table to the grill, handing over a small sheet of paper with what was likely the latest order for the cooks and grabbing some finished plates to bring to another table. Prompto's hands dropped to where his camera hung on a sash, bringing it to his eye and the photographer started taking a few pictures of the sight before him. Ignis and Gladio stood back with Noctis, still discussing in a low whisper when Prompto realized something important, the food was being given freely! Prompto had been standing there taking afew pictures while walking around the area for better shots, asking permission when he wanted close ups of specific things and during that span of time, he had witness no less than 5 tables receive food and then walk away without a single exchange of money. Prompto looked around and quickly found the girl who was serving some food and quietly asked, ''Are you guys feeding some of the refugees for free?'' The girl turned around, staring at Prompto with obvious suspicion and Prompto was quick to explain himself, ''Sorry I don't mean anything about it, it just my dad works at the Refugee Center and if you are, he can arrange for you guys to get some compensation for this.''

The girl looked at Prompto, suspicion fading into shock and she demanded, ''Really? He can?'' Prompto nodded, ''Yup, so are you?'' The girl nodded and told Prompto, ''Ya, Dad and Mom decided that they'd open up the restaurant as a free food place for the new refugees. A lot of them are having trouble finding food here and Dad wanted to make them feel somewhat at home despite the fact they aren't in Galahad anymore. It's been really busy.'' Prompto frowned and swore but before he could ask another question the girl was called away by her parents and she hurried off. Prompto was walking back to his friends when the first shout erupted, ''Get out of here! You aren't wanted here!'' the man responsible was a Galahadian guy, clothes still speckled with blood and ripped at places. Gladio stepped in front of Noct immediately with Ignis drawing the prince closer to him but the damage was done. As though the man's shout was the last drop that unleashed the flood, people all around them started shouting at the Insomnian born trio, their very presence taken as an insult by many of the refugees and immigrants of the sector.

Prompto tried to get to where Noct was, even as Gladio was forced to grab at some of the crowd as they tried to reach the overdressed Ignis with hands hungering for blood and pain. The once peaceful if animated crowd descending all to easily into raging anger and shouts, Prompto pushed aside by them in their desire to cause trouble for those many considered responsible for their current situation. The blond looked around, trying to find a way out of the crushing crowds and help his friends but before he could do that the crowd went still just as suddenly as the almost riot had started. As the crowds started muttering, Prompto was finally able to make his way to Noctis' side and found his friends standing in a circle empty of people other than a small group of Galahadian who looked only a few years older than Gladio and Ignis. One of the ladies of the new group was standing with a grin over the first guy who had shouted and started the whole thing. The man lying on the ground, both hands over the bottom part of his face where blood poured steadily down unto the ground, was swearing at the girl who seemed undisturbed by any of it. ''Come on Crowe! Did you have to break the guy's teeth?'' exclaimed one of the guys, voice tainted by both amusement and exasperation. The girl, Crowe, whipped around and grinned, ''Like you weren't about to do the same Nyx. You're just sore I beat you to it.'' Nyx lifted a hand cover his eyes in mock exasperation but the smile spreading on his face told the truth. Prompto stepped around the crowd and moved to stand beside his friends, quietly asking, ''Are you guys alright?'' Gladio nodded, eyes scanning around in case anyone tried to cause more trouble.

Ignis glanced over at Prompto, a quick look over the blond boy assuring the adviser he had come to no harm before refocusing on the group that had apparently come to their help. ''It seems we owe you our thanks for your help.'' The adviser said carefully, watching the Galahadians reactions but Nyx just smirked as he turned around to face the four teens, ''Forget it. The bastard had it coming being an ass like that to a bunch of kids.'' Prompto could see Gladio bristle at being called a kid but Nyx just kept going, ''I'm Nyx Ulric, the crazy one over there is Crowe Altiuss. I'd introduce you to all of them but we'd be here for a while. We're about to get in line for some of the food here, why don't you guys join us?'' Ignis frowned glancing first at the irritated Gladio then at Noctis who was strangely quiet, before Ignis could give Nyx a response Noctis spoke up, ''We'd love too. We heard this was the best place for real Galahadian food, is it true?''

Prompto looked at Noctis, it was rare for the prince to speak up after a situation like that but as Prompto glanced at his boyfriend he noticed the slightest of blushes decorating the prince's cheeks. Prompto grinned in amusement, Noctis had a crush, the question was on who exactly? Prompto swung an arm around Noct' shoulder as Nyx grinned at Noct before replying, '' Couldn't say, we just got in today but we got told it was so why don't we find out together? You'll be able to know if it's true from the mouth of freshly arrived Hunters of the seventh tribe of Galahad.'' The bragging tone at the end of Nyx's words seemed to make Gladio curious despite the previous insult and Ignis simply knew there was no arguing with the prince at the moment. It didn't take long for the four Insomnians to be acquainted with the small group, led by Nyx, as they waited in the reformed line; the three native of the city kept out of sight by virtue of being placed in the middle of the youngest of the surviving members of the Hunters of their tribe who had been the ones to suffer the most from the invasion of Galahad.

By the time they were able to get a table, Ignis and Libertus were trading recipes and plans on getting the galahadian in Ignis' apartment to cook at some point; Gladio and Crowe were trading wild stories of hunts and camping trips while Prompto and Noctis were flirting rather outrageously with Nyx who returned the favor with clear amusement. The food was delicious at least and their new found friends testified that this was indeed true Galahadian flavors, laughing when Noctis and Gladio spent most of the meal gulping down milk and eating bread in between bites of the skewers they had chosen as their meals. Prompto was taking as many pictures as he could, enthused at the cheerful and relaxed atmosphere and already preparing his next exposition with whatever profits he made going to help the Galahadians who wanted to join the Kingsglaive do so without having to worry about their families or friends during the training period. As their group finally finished eating, Prompto slipped away to talk with the owner and main cook of the food stall, giving the man the number he should call to get compensation for his good will and the food he had so freely given to all those who showed up before Prompto asked for a picture of their family in front of The Hunters Lodge. That picture sold for close to 50 000 Gils at the silent auction that was held during the exposition and Prompto gave it all to their family in hopes they would be able to expand and help even more people from then on.


	14. Confession

A/N: Prompto and Noctis are 12. Ignis and Gladio are 15.

Prompto hummed his favorite tune as he walked down the halls of his school, his hands full with a large box of old photographs he had been given permission to try and restore by the teacher in charge of the photography club. He leaned against the wall beside the door to the school photograph development lab, shifting the box so he had a free hand and opened the door with some difficulty. With a soft grunt, Prompto brought the box into the dark room before allowing himself to drop the box unto a low table with a sigh of relief. He had sent a message to Noctis letting him know that he was going to be staying at school for a while longer and not to wait for him. As the blond photographer put his phone aside and reached back towards the box when someone spoke up shyly from one of the unseen corners ''Prompto?''

Prompto jumped and turned around quickly; bumping into the low table and making the box shifted dangerously, his heart beating furiously as Prompto moved away from whoever was there. A girl stepped out of the shadows in a hurry, mouth open and rapidly apologising, ''Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! Are you ok?'' she asked moving closer to the almost panicking Prompto. Prompto put a hand over his chest, leaning over the table and trying to force his breath back to a normal state, the girl was hovering right beside him obviously not knowing what to do. It gave Prompto a chance to look at the girl in the dim light of the room, her hair was black and curly, eyes a dark brown lined with worry as she looked at Prompto. Her skin was an almost opposite of his own, her brown tones almost merging with the darkness of the room and making her eyes look almost as though they were floating above ground, ''Luminari? Is that you?'' asked Prompto between gasps.

Luminari Elisea nodded; she was the youngest daughter of the Elisea noble house and shared several of Prompto's classes. Prompto was finally able to calm down and straightened to look at the still worried classmate, he gave the girl a small tight smile and she asked, ''Are you ok? Do you need anything?'' Prompto shook his head and asked, ''Thanks Lumina but I'll be ok. Can I help you with anything?'' Lumina took a step backwards, ducking her head while looking at Prompto through her lashes. Her hands wrung together as though worried about something before clenching into tight fists and Luminari looked back up with determination, staring straight at Prompto and then said, ''I love you! Please go out with me!'' Prompto stared at the girl in complete shock, mouth dropping open as the words registered in his mind.

Prompto leaned against the table, feeling the almost forgotten box hitting his back. He closed his eyes and then swallowed dryly before being able to talk, ''I'm… I'm sorry but I don't think I heard you right…You love me?'' he asked hesitantly. Luminari shifted and nodded, looking straight at Prompto with determination as she waited patiently for Prompto's answer. Prompto looked at her, his mind reeling at the sudden confession from one of his classmates. As he bit his lips, Prompto looked at Luminari and after a few minutes of conversation, watched her leave the photograph exposition dark room. Prompto had to take several minutes to calm down, grabbing his phone and looking at Noctis' last message but he couldn't bring himself to answer, finally turning to the box in order to start the work he had come here to do in the first place.

When Prompto finally arrived back to the Citadel, he sent a quick text to Noctis before heading straight home and into his room, collapsing on his bed and smothering his face in his pillow to muffle the scream that escaped his mouth. His mind was stuck on the confession he received earlier and Prompto simply couldn't think of anything else which had caused him to almost destroy 3 decade old photographs before he decided to call it quits and left the school to wonder around taking his own pictures while walking slowly back to the Citadel. Prompto was so wrapped in his day's event that he missed the series of knocks on the apartment, he didn't noticed as the door was opened and his friends walked in on him moaned into his pillow. ''Prompto? Is everything alright?'' asked Noctis as he hurried towards Prompto. Prompto shouted in alarm and jerked up, swearing as his back tweaked in pain at the sudden movement. ''Shit!'' exclaimed Prompto and Gladio was quickly by the young boy's side, helping Prompto get up without furthering any pain he might be feeling.

Prompto leaned into the solid figure of Gladio as he shifted to a more comfortable position under the watchful eyes of Ignis and Noctis. Once comfortable, arms still wrapped around his pillows, and looked around in surprised, ''Why are you here?'' Prompto asked. Ignis readjusted his glasses as he answered, voice poised and calm, ''We were worried about you. Is there something you wish to talk about?'' Prompto blushed and ducked his head, his mind going back to Luminari and his face went from pink to tomato red. He moaned into the pillows, hiding his face from his increasingly concerned friends, Gladio shared a look with Noctis and the prince reached out tentatively to put a hand on Prompto's arm, ''Prom? Whats going on?'' Prompto shook his head, not showing his expression to anyone. Gladio tightened his hold on the blond boy and tried, ''Come on Prompto, we can't help you if you don't tell us whats wrong.'' Prompto shook his head again, too embarrassed to face anyone much less his friends. Ignis frowned, worry evident on his face but also not quite comfortable to continue pushing Prompto about whatever was troubling him, he suggested quietly, ''Would you prefer we leave then?'' Prompto shot up, ''No!'' his head shaking from side to side still flushed red everywhere the other boys could see.

Prompto whine, ''Please don't go… I just can't talk about it…Not yet, please.'' Noctis, Ignis and Gladio shared a glance then made themselves comfortable surrounding Prompto, just being there for their still skittish friend. Their presence helped Prompto calm down as he leaned on Gladio and listened to Ignis and Noctis arguing about when he should do his homework as they often did. An hour passed by with Prompto staying silent and simply watching as his friends talked around him, absorbing the comfort of being surrounded by them until he felt ready to say something. When he pushed himself away from Gladio, putting his pillow down, the conversation stopped and the three boys waited with bated breath for Prompto to talk. Prompto looked each of them in turn before he said anything, ''Noct, do you know Luminari Elisea? She's in our science class.'' Noctis frowned, leaning forward as he answered, ''Yes, did she do anything to you?'' Prompto shook his head.

''No, that's not it at all! She… umm, she confessed to me in the photography dark room when I was there earlier. She just showed up out of nowhere! Scared me, apologised then confessed to me!'' Prompto exclaimed, his emotions going back high as he recalled the encounter. Gladio noticed the renewed tension and slung and arm around to pull the blond closer to him, running a hand over Prompto's shoulders in a comforting manner until Prompto was relaxed once again. Prompto pulled a few shuddering breaths as Gladio's warmth helped calm him down even as Ignis and Noctis reached out to put their hands over Prompto's as a gesture of comfort. Ignis asked in a soft voice, ''Deep breaths Prompto, there is no rush. We shall remain by your side as long as you desire.'' Noctis hadn't said or done anything more than stare at Prompto with a blank face, it reminded Gladio and Ignis of the way Noctis had been before meeting Prompto and made both retainers worry at the change. Prompto didn't seem to notice it with the confusion of the day still making things slip pass his usually keen mind and he continued to tell them his thoughts and worries, ''I was really surprised! So I asked why she would say that. I'm no one special, just another outsider and a commoner! Why would she be interested in me!'' Ignis frowned, squeezing Prompto's hand as he stated calmly, ''You have many things that would interest a lady and anyone would be quite lucky to have you as a partner.'' Gladio grinned and nodded in complete agreement of the future adviser's word.

Prompto blushed at the praise and ducked his head back into his pillow and mumbled, ''Thank you Iggy.'' Ignis smiled, squeezing the small hand once again in reassurance of his honesty, ''There is no reason to thank me for stating the simple truth.'' Gladio grinned and asked, ''So? What did Lady Elisea say?'' Prompto looked up from his pillow with the slightest of grins before he answered, ''She said she liked me because of my determination to get healthy and my love of photographs. She said she loved seeing everyone smile when they looked at my pictures.'' Gladio grinned, gently pushing Prompto as he teased, ''There ya go Prom! See you have plenty of reasons to make the ladies love you!'' Prompto got embarrassed again and moaned at Gladio, ''Gladio!'' The Shield just grinned then glanced at Noctis with worry, the prince was still showing no emotions on his face and that was an increasingly worrying thing. Gladio glanced at Ignis and both shared a silent conversation before Ignis smiled at Prompto before proposing, ''Why don't we go and grab some of the desserts I made earlier, Noctis, and bring them back here for Prompto and Gladiolus?'' Noctis showed surprise, looking at Prompto before returning his gaze to his adviser to which Ignis nodded once. Noctis muttered, ''Sure, let's do that.'' Before getting up and offering Prompto a slim smile before following Ignis out of the room. Inside, Prompto and Gladio continued talking with Gladio mostly listening to Prompto as the young pre-teen tried to make sense of his emotions towards the situation.

Walking through the halls of the Citadel, Ignis waited in silence, glancing at his prince with worry as Noctis was hunched almost protectively before deciding to speak as they reached the Royal Quarters, ''Is everything alright your Highness?'' Noctis slumped even more, his head hanging down and didn't say a word. Ignis sighed and decided to push his charge just a bit, ''Is this because of what happened to Prompto today?'' The split second falter in Noctis step gave Ignis the answer just as easily as if Noctis had spoken. Noctis had no idea what was going on in his mind, when Prompto had sent him the text saying he wouldn't be seeing him tonight, Noctis had been really worry and had quickly gathered Ignis and Gladio to go check on Prompto. His worry hadn't changed at first but when Prompto was finally able to talk with them, his emotions had gone from worried to a smouldering uncomfortable anger for a reason Noctis simply could not explain. That unusual feeling had simply increased as Prompto had told them about Luminari and her confession; it lingered tight in his chest and made it impossible for him to look at Prompto without feeling a new flash of that unknown emotion. Noctis wasn't surprised that Ignis had caught on to his problems and had been expecting the questions from his friend and future adviser.

Ignis sighed at the sight of Noctis falling back into his old habit of shutting everyone and everything away, the older teen didn't want to see the now cheerful prince return to the apathetic and sullen one from before Prompto had arrived in their lives. Ignis took out the desserts from the fridge but left them on the counter in favor of gently guiding Noctis unto the nearest sofas. ''Noctis, please talk to me. I'm here to help you.'' Ignis said gently. Noctis frowned and curled up in a ball, hiding his face against his knees. For a moment, Ignis was afraid he had pushed the young boy too far, ready to apologise for his mistake only to be interrupted by the hesitant voice of Noctis, ''I don't.. I don't know, Ignis. When Prompto was talking I…. I just got so angry! I can't even look at him without feeling that weird anger in my chest…. Whats wrong with me?'' His voice broke as he whispered the last question, afraid of what the answer might be. Ignis reached slowly to put a hand on Noctis' arm, mentally giving a sigh of relief that it wasn't something worst then what was most likely jealousy towards his friend, ''I believe what you are feeling is jealousy your Highness.'' Noctis raised his head to peek at Ignis, confusion clear on his face, ''Jealousy? Why would I be jealous of Prompto?'' Ignis offered the young prince a smile as he replied, ''Perhaps you are jealous that he has received a confession of romantic interest before you?'' Noctis blushed and hide his face back against his knee to the slight amusement of Ignis, who squeezed Noctis' arm and waited for the young prince to make sense of the new information.

Noctis was thinking seriously, now having a name to put on the unfamiliar emotion, but the explanation offered by Ignis didn't quite sit well with him. Noctis wasn't feeling the emotion, jealously, towards Prompto himself but rather at the idea of someone else seeing Prompto smile the way his best friend did when he was having fun with Noctis. There was a feeling of possessiveness? When it came to Prompto that Noctis couldn't quite explain. Noctis always felt better just seeing his friend, no matter how bad the day was or had been, just hearing Prompto's voice was enough to make him smile and seeing his friend in person had his heart beating furiously in his chest. Was this also part of being jealous? Noctis groaned, feeling miserable and he had to ask, ''Am I a bad friend for being jealous?'' Ignis was a bit surprised at the question but was quick to reassure the prince, ''No, of course not. Being jealous of others happens to most people. As long as you do not act to harm Prompto or interfere with his decision just because of the jealousy you feel then you are not a bad friend. Though I would urge you to talk with Prompto about this as to ensure he is aware of how you feel.'' With a final smile towards his charge, Ignis got up and grabbed the desserts from where he had left them earlier before turning back and asking, ''Are you feeling well enough to return to see Prompto?'' Noctis nodded, unfolding himself from his curled up position and wincing slightly as his back protested his position but followed Ignis back to see his best friend.

In his room, Prompto had watched as Ignis and Noct left even as he continued to talk. It was easier for him to keep going now that he had started and Gladio was thankfully allowing him to rant on and on as the younger boy tried to make sense of everything. When Prompto finally stopped talking to breathe properly, Gladio asked, ''Well? What did you tell her?'' Prompto flushed again but after a few moments of silence he replied, ''I thanked her but told her I wasn't ready for something like that.'' Gladio raised an eyebrow as he looked at the blond who kept talking, ''I just…. I don't know if I feel the same way and well the last year has been so crazy! I don't really know if I want to deal with having another person around often or the kissing and hand holding stuff either. Its… just not for me.'' Prompto finished in a dejected voice. Gladio smiled and drew the smaller boy into a hug before saying, ''I'm proud of you Prom.'' Prompto squeaked, looking up from his position to look at the big guy's expression. Gladio chuckled and explained, ''Not a lot of people realise they aren't ready to have relationships, so I'm proud of you for being honest with yourself and Lady Elisea. I'm sure she understood what was going on and didn't take it personally.'' Prompto hid his face on Gladio's chest and muttered, ''She did, she even apologised and offered to start just as friends. We're going to hang out together sometime but I don't know when yet.'' Gladio tightened his hug with a beaming smile before letting the boy go just as Ignis and Noctis entered. ''Those look good Specs!'' Gladio exclaimed as he reached out to grab one only to have his hand slapped away by Ignis.

Ignis smirked as Gladio pouted exaggerating the sting of the slap, the adviser offering the plate of sweets to Prompto first, ''Prompto gets to choose which ones he desire first.'' Prompto perked up and reached out to grab two of the small tart like desserts, immediately taking a bite and humming in delight at the taste. ''This is amazing Ignis!'' Ignis smiled and inclined his head as thanks for Prompto's compliment before allowing Noctis then Gladio to take some before taking what was left. Noctis was looking at Prompto, he still felt slightly jealous but he realized that it didn't matter when Prompto was so happy. Noct took a bite of the dessert, humming thoughtfully as he compared it to his memories and then said, ''Not quite right, its not flaky enough.'' Ignis nodded, taking a bite of his own confection before taking out a small notepad and writing in it. Noct grinned and then that faded as he turned to look at Prompto, '' Prompto?'' he asked. Prompto looked up at Noctis and Noctis just wnet for it, ''Sorry! I got jealous of you when you told me about Luminari but I'm happy for you too. I hope you can forgive me!'' The prince looked down as he said that leaving a confused Prompto looking in shock at the prince and Gladio sharing an understanding look with Ignis. Prompto dropped unto his back, shifting so he could see Noctis' face and asked, ''You were jealous of me?'' Noct was blushing slightly as he nodded. Prompto grinned and laughed, ''Dude! I can't believe you got jealous of me! Do you realize how many girls talk about you when you aren't around?'' Noctis stared at Prompto in shock and the blond continued, ''If you're apologising for being jealous then I should too! I mean it's kinda hard not too something when your best friend is the coolest guy in school and happens to be the Prince of the Kingdom you know?'' Noctis moaned and dropped to lay on his back beside Prompto before complaining, ''You mean I got worried over nothing? Why didn't you ever say anything?'' Prompto grinned and replied, ''Because it doesn't really matter, obviously. I know that it's not all games and fun being the prince but I do still get jealous sometimes when you walk around and ignore the way people whisper about you like they aren't even there. Or when you see something you really like and just buy it without having to think about the price. Even if I usually end up sharing it with you, I still end up jealous but that will never change the fact that you're my best friend, jealousy or no jealousy.'' Noctis stared at Prompto in shock before he grinned and nodded. Ignis and Gladio shared a look of satisfaction as they watched their two younger friends go from lying down and talking seriously to arguing about who is the best character in King's knight in two seconds flats.


	15. The Cure

A/N: This is within the first year of the chocobros meeting each other, about 9 months after Sylva's Revenge.

Sylva yawned as she sat up from her microscope, a hand going to rub her sore back. The nurse looked around until her tired eyes found the clock hanging half hidden behind one of the chemical hoods. The clock showed the time to be about 10 in the morning. Sylva groaned, dropping her head unto the cold metallic counter as she realized she had just spent almost 36h in the lab without knowing it. The mother reached out, looking through her pockets in search of her phone only to remember that she had left it at the apartment in her rush to hurry to the lab after the late night or was it early morning call? At this mind numbing point, Sylva couldn't remember when she had received the call from her excited colleague that had made her through a pair of pants and a bra before rushing out to the labs without a look behind. She had run through the halls of the Citadel, almost slipping and splitting her head open on a few occasions, in her haste. Her arrival at the Citadel's medical and research laboratory had been greeting with wide grins and excitement, followed by a grueling series of incredibly thorough examinations of their latest attempt at a permanent working cure whose side-effects were within reasonable standards.

Sometime during the night, Sylva had sent her team away as she waited for the last of the results to print out. She intending on leaving the moment she had the results in hand but when it finally printed out what she saw had her returning to her microscope to take a closer look at the reaction between the star scourge essence and the cure. Sylva sighed and reached out to grab the printed final report to be presented to the King and Council, flipping it to the listed side effects and at the very end of the list wrote, _sudden use of magic proportional to level of infection prior to receiving the cure_. She wasn't overly surprised that the sudden ability to use magic had not been noticed beforehand since they normally used only a small amount of scourge in their laboratory based test. Sylva had spent the hours since then looking at the magical amount left over from the cure-scourge interaction with various percentage of both in hope of understanding the link between the two but it was within a controlled experiment and would most likely not translate to any of the trials if the council gave them permission to do so.

Report in hand, Sylva got up and left the research lab to head straight for Ventus' office. The Royal Adviser would know where the king was and would be able to look over the report before it was shown to him. As she walked down the halls, Sylva stopped to look out the window into the visible garden where she saw her son playing with his friends including Luna. She wondered where Ravus was with a tinge of worry before spotting the older boy sitting under a tree with Gladio, both of them reading peacefully in the shade. A smile emerged despite her exhaustion and Sylva regretted not having her phone with her, she desperately wanted to take a picture of the peaceful scene. Sylva was about to turn around when a hand tapped on her shoulder. Gentiana smiled peacefully as she extended Sylva's missing phone to her, ''It is a scene worthy of being immortalised.'' She agreed with Sylva's unspoken thoughts to her utmost surprise. Sylva grabbed the phone as she stared at the Astral's Messenger, turning away only to snap a few pictures of the peaceful scene before asking, ''Thank you Gentiana but might I ask why you are here?''

The black glad Messenger smiled, eyes opening to lock with Sylva's, making the nurse shiver as the temperature of the area suddenly got colder. ''I am here to give you a warning from the Astrals. Destroy what the report you have in your hands for the great Bahamut has spoken. Only the True King, Chosen by the Crystal of the Lucii, can destroy the Scourge and free Eos of its plague.'' Sylva shivered, her breath clouding in front of her as Gentiana talked, each word hitting the nurse with the strength and power of the Astrals themselves. When the Messenger finished delivering her warning, Sylva Argentum stared in absolute shock for several seconds before bursting into laughter to the surprise of Gentiana. Sylva knew part of it was exhaustion fueled laughter but she couldn't help herself as she dropped to the ground, holding her stomach as she laughed helplessly while attempting to stop. Gentiana stared at the nurse, brought to tears of laughter after hearing the warning from Bahamut, the disguised Astral had never received such a response from anyone, much less a human nurse who had only recently become surrounded by magic and the weave of fate.

It took several minutes for Sylva to calm down as her first few attempt to look at Luna's companion resulted in renewed laughter, Gentiana staring at her with surprise that slowly morphed into amusement at the nurse's reaction. When Sylva was finally able to breathe properly once more, Gentiana extended a hand and helped her up from the floor. Sylva smiled and apologised, ''Sorry Gentiana. I probably shouldn't have laughed like that.'' Gentiana inclined her head in acknowledgement of the apology and Sylva took that as a sign to continue, ''Would you mind giving the Astrals a message for me?'' Gentiana was quite curious and asked, ''A message?'' Sylva nodded with a grin, ''Yes, a simple message for the divine guardians of Eos.'' Gentiana hid her smile and nodded for Sylva to give her message.

The nurse took a deep breath and said, ''I am a nurse and a researcher. I don't care about prophecy or the will of Astrals who spends most of the time asleep rather than helping us. As a Nurse, I have dedicated my life to helping those who come to me for help and as a Researcher, I wish to create better and safer ways to help those in need. This research, this cure, will help thousands possibly even millions. Not just those who are infected by the scourge but also all those who live at risk of daemon attack every night. Niflheim uses the scourge as a weapon! They infect their own people in order to satisfy their greed! The star scourge must be dealt with and I have no time or patience to wait until some chosen king is able to do their will. Let the Astrals watch and learn, humans have no need for fate, they can easily create their own path among history.'' She finished her message with a bow and turned around to walk away.

This time it was Gentiana who started laughing, bringing a hand to clasp over her mouth as she giggled, her appearance fluctuating until she appeared before Sylva as Shiva, the Glacian, to the stunned surprise of Sylva. Frost formed on the windows and floor despite the warm weather outside, and Shiva approached the nurse still giggling, ''You are quite something Sylva Argentum. I cannot recall ever being so amused by one of your kind before. It is… refreshing to hear such honesty from such a head strong person.'' Sylva flinched as Shiva's hand touched her cheek, bitter cold burning the skin where the astral touched her skin. ''Do not fear me child. I agree with your words as I know the fate of the ones chosen by Bahamut and the Crystal, a fate I do not agree with for it requires the sacrifice of many for a fault not of their own doing. This cure you have created from your son's blood may indeed change things and render the prophecy unnecessary but it may also make things worse for Fate does not take kindly to interference.'' Shiva whispered. Sylva frowned and asked, ''You speak of Fate as something that is alive, is Fate an Astral?''

Shiva smiled, taking a step back and returning to her appearance as Gentiana, before answering, ''In a way, it is more akin to Eos' will, something that even we Astrals must bend to in the end. '' Sylva nodded, exhausted mind trying to absorb all the sudden information and shock of the last few minutes. Gentiana looked at the nurse and made her mind, she extended her hands and asked, ''I would like to give you a blessing, will you accept it?'' Sylva hesitated then nodded, reaching out to put her hands in Gentiana's cold ones. The moment she did, Sylva was surrounded by snow and ice, a voice whispered around her in a language she couldn't understand and Gentiana's eyes glowed purple. Sylva felt something cold slither from Gentiana through their joined hand and nestle in her chest, leaving in its trail a burning cold sensation to match the cold burn left by Shiva's touch. It seemed to last an eternity of cold and ice for Sylva even though it was no more than 15 seconds before Gentiana allowed her hands to fall and waited for the nurse to catch her breath, Sylva gasping through seemingly frozen lungs until the cold left and she regained feeling in her body.

Gentiana smiled and told her, ''You have the blessing of Shiva, may it help you while you make your own path among the stars.'' Sylva looked up, intent on asking the Messenger and Astral what was the blessing but the halls were empty; the frost was already melting, leaving Sylva alone and slightly shivering in the halls of the Citadel. The nurse stared blankly at the empty halls before leaning on the wall and sliding down to sit heavily on the floor, ''What did I just get myself into?'' she asked the empty halls, laughter faintly heard from the gardens as the children played together. It took her a good 15 minutes before she managed to get back on her feet, Sylva quickly checked the report before hurrying back through the halls until she reached Ventus' office. She knocked and leaned on the door until she heard a reply from inside, Ventus sounding stressed as he did. Sylva opened the door and walked in to be greeted by her husband shooting to his feet with a question, ''Are you alright? What happened to you?'' Lance asked as he gently brought the tired nurse to sit down on the chair he had just vacated.

Ventus was up and had moved to where he kept an emergency first aid kit, bringing it to his desk as he took note of Sylva's disheveled appearance. The bags under her eyes was not surprising since Lance had been telling him she had left over a day ago to work on her research and had not returned to their home since but the finger shaped burn marks on her cheek were worrying. Sylva shook her head and said, ''I might have pissed off Shiva, still not completely sure about that. Doesn't matter.'' She leaned into her husband chest, exhaustion dripping from her every word and motion even as she extended her reason for being here to Ventus. Ventus shared a worried look with Lance before pushing the first aid kit aside to grab the papers and look through it. The sharp intake of air when he realized what he was holding had Lance look at him for a second before going back to holding Sylva, Ventus looked quickly through the report detailing the cure made by Sylva's research team in the last 7 months. To his eyes, the report was clear and he could find no obvious reason not to suggest to the council to give them permission to start human trials at the hospitals throughout Lucis.

Ventus got up and looked at Lance before shifting his gaze to Sylva whose breathing indicated she had fallen asleep, ''Bring her home Lance. I'll take care of things for now and let you know if something comes up.'' He whispered to his friend. Lance smiled gratefully as he picked up his wife, giving her a small kiss on the forehead as she snuggled closer to his warmth with a sleepy mumble, before leaving the office to head back home. Lance frowned once he arrived at his home's front door, he didn't want to put Sylva down in order to open his door but he might have to. Lance sighed and was about to bend down when a patrolling guard dropped by, ''Do you need a hand Mr. Argentum?'' Lance turned to look at the guard and nodded gratefully, ''That would be very helpful. Thank you.'' He whispered as the guard took his keys and opened the door before returning them to Lance, holding the door open until the couple were safely inside before returning to his patrol. Lance used his foot to close the door behind him and headed straight for their room, carefully putting Sylva on top of the sheets. She was sleeping peacefully but Lance wanted to try and take care of the burn mark at least before allowing her to rest until she woke up. Lance went to the bathroom, taking out their own first aid kit and finding the burn cream before returning to his wife. Lance took great care to clean the burn before spreading the cream gently across the area, wincing when Sylva grunted and flinched away from his touch, before giving her another kiss. He took off her bra and pants before tucking her under the blankets and leaving to send a message to Prompto, _Your mom is back. She's exhausted so why don't you stay with your friends for a sleepover?_ Prompto gave a quick reply, letting Lance know he would stay with Noctis for the night. Lance went into the living room and grabbed his laptop before heading back to their room; he sat on the bed beside Sylva while working, occasionally reaching over to run his fingers through her hair tenderly.

Ventus waited until Lance was gone before grabbing the report from Sylva and leaving. There was a meeting with the Council in less than an hour and Regis would need to see the results from the research before showing it to the old men for approval. A knock on the heavy wooden door and Ventus found himself looking at his King and his Shield poring over some documents; both men greeted Ventus with a smile. Ventus returned the smile as he gave Regis the report, ''Sylva and her team were successful. This is the final report about a working cure for the Star Scourge.'' Clarus inhaled sharply even as Regis started reading the report with impatience. Clarus read it over the King's shoulder and both men were grinning as they went through the report, ''This is amazing, the side effects might prove to be a problem but that can be addressed at the council. Ventus, make sure Sylva and her team get some tie off and a bonus for their work, they have done a great service to Lucis.'' Declared Regis as he leaned back in his chair. Ventus nodded but then added, ''There is something else you should know your Majesty. Sylva was injured when she dropped the report off at my office. A burn mark on her cheek shaped like fingers, she told me that, and I am quoting her, she might have pissed off Shiva. She passed out from exhaustion soon after, Lance was bringing her back to their home when I came here.'' Regis narrowed his eyes at the news, Clarus frowning and asking, ''Why would the Glacian be interested in Sylva?''

Ventus proposed, ''I believe it wasn't an interest in Sylva herself but rather the report she had. We are all aware of the prophecy foretelling the destruction of the scourge by the Chosen King and its cost. A cure for the Scourge could be seen as a threat by the Astrals, especially Bahamut. It may well be that it is the will of the gods that the cure not be created.'' The adviser looked torn as he spoke, knowing that Noctis was the Chosen King and the sacrifice required by him if the prophecy came to pass. Regis tensed up at the reminder of his son's fate, he closed his eyes, ignoring the look of concern from his Shield before he decided, ''If there is any chance of Noctis being spared from his fate then I am willing to pay the price for it. We will put this to the council and see that trials are started with the full support of the Crown. Still it would not hurt to consult with Lunafreya about this, though we should wait until Sylva has recovered and we can ask her about what happened.'' Clarus and Ventus salute their King, seeing the determination that added weight to every word from their King. They would stand by Regis through any challenge and pay the price for their loyalty with pride, if there was a way to prevent Regis from losing his son then it would be found and they would be the ones to see it come to be.


	16. Stalker

A/N: There are mentions of child pornography, pedophilia, child slavery and non con drug use in this chapter.

Prompto and Noctis are 13, Ignis and Gladio 16.

prompt suggested by Kyurengo

He was being followed; Prompto was certain of it as he glanced to look at the shuffling crowd moving outside of the small coffee shop he sat in. In front of him was a cup of hot chocolate and a fruit muffin, Prompto bit his lips as he looked down at the table then glanced again outside to the weird duo who sat on a bench at the opposite side of the street, watching the front door of the coffee shop with unwielding focus. Prompto shivered, his hands opening and closing as his anxiety flared up. He took out his phone, looking at its black screen and contemplated whether he should call Uncle Cor or maybe Gladio about his worry… But what if it was just him exaggerating things again? There wasn't any reason for someone to be following him after all, much less the odd duo outside.

Prompto had been out taking pictures for Noctis' 13th birthday party when he had gotten the strangest feeling that someone was following him. It hadn't been a certainty at the time, just the feeling he had seen that grey and beige coat on the otherwise ordinary looking man several times since he had left the Citadel. The feeling had been disturbing enough for Prompto to decide to move to another location to take more pictures. He had left the small almost empty park to head towards the downtown gardens, hoping that the busier region would make him feel safer even if it meant less spectacular pictures. As he had walked through the mostly empty streets, Prompto had tried to double back at least twice while staying on the more popular sidewalks. He had been extremely relieved to not see the man when he arrived at the gardens, humming to himself as he walked through the various well-tended displays of flowers and trees only to freeze when while looking into a mirror-like pond, Prompto saw the man talking with a lady wearing a dark blue dress while looking straight at him.

Prompto tensed up, quickly taking a picture of the reflected image on the pond and trying to keep himself from freaking out as he tried to think about what he should do next. Running away would probably only provoke whoever they were and Prompto decided that maybe he was just imagining things. It wasn't illegal for a man to meet someone at the gardens; it was a rather popular dating spot after all especially since the King had had Sylleblossoms planted in the climate controlled indoor portion of the gardens a year after Lunafreya and Ravus Nox Fleuret had been rescued from Niflheim control. Prompto forced himself to walk away slowly and calmly without looking over his shoulder even if that was the complete opposite of what he really wanted to do. He had walked through the gardens' gift shop, spotting the duo half a dozen times either together or separately during that time. Seeing the familiar coffee shop Ignis had brought him to several times to spent some time alone with the blond boy, Prompto almost chocked in relief, running across the street and into the shop.

Closing his eyes, Prompto touched the screen and waited until the familiar voice answered him, '' Yes Prompto?'' Cor's voice and steady voice answered. Prompto gasped in relief that Uncle Cor had answered and that small sound had Cor go from quietly content to worried immediately, ''Prompto? Whats wrong?'' Prompto forced himself to stifle his desire to cry and stammered, '' Can you come pick me up please? I… I think some weird people are following me. Please?'' Prompto heard a chair being knocked over as Cor replied almost immediately, ''Where are you? I'm on my way right now.'' Prompto took a shaking breath and told his Uncle where he was. ''Ok, you're doing great Prompto. Just stay where you are. I'll be there in a few minutes. Just keep talking to me alright? Can you tell me what they look like?'' Prompto nodded, glancing back out of the window only to barely bit off a scream as he saw that neither of them were anywhere in sight. ''Prompto! Whats going on?'' Demanded Cor at his ear, Prompto whimpered back, ''They're gone. I can't see them anymore!''

It didn't take long before Cor and several Crownguards arrived at the coffee shop, Cor going straight to where Prompto sat curled up on himself with one of the staff keeping him company after seeing the young boy having a panic attack. Cor nodded thankfully to the staff before kneeling beside the bench and whispering, ''Prompto?'' His nephew whimpered as he looked up to him, teary eyes before launching himself over to tackle the Marshall, burying his face into his Uncle chest as he sobs. Cor hold Prompto tightly, his eyes dark and promising retribution to whoever had scared his nephew so badly regardless of their intention, and whispered soft reassurances to the boy as he picks him up. Prompto just held on tighter as Cor picked him up, letting his Uncle take him out of the coffee shop and into an unmarked car while a Crownguard took the wheel and brought his commander and his nephew back to the Citadel. Gladio, Noctis and Ignis were standing with Lance as the car pulled into the garage and Cor got out followed by Prompto.

Lance was beside his son almost immediately, taking him into a hug. Prompto returned it happily; he was no longer crying but still felt fragile after his panic attack and in desperate need of physical touch to help him ground himself. ''I'm ok now, thanks to Uncle Cor.'' He whispered to his father. Lance smiled, getting back up without letting go of Prompto's hand and thanked the man, ''Thank you Cor.'' Cor shook his head, hand mindlessly going to rest on Prompto's head as he looked over to where the rest of the small group were standing, waiting for permission to move closer since none of them wanted to overwhelm Prompto with their presence. Cor locked gaze with Gladio, ''Gladio, stay close to Prompto for now until we figure out what happened today.'' Gladio salute the Marshall, bringing a closed fist to his chest, ''Yes Sir!'' Prompto giggled a bit at it, already feeling safer just by being around his family and friends.

The next few days were relatively quiet as the Crownguards were unable to find the people who had been following Prompto. The picture he had taken was circulated among the guards and Glaives with orders to notify Cor personally if they were seen but so far, no one knew who the duo were or where they had disappeared too. Prompto found himself never left alone if he left the Citadel, either a Glaive or a Crownguard were always with him on top of having Gladio, Ignis and Noct keeping the still worried and anxious boy company. Sylva and Lance had rearranged their schedule so they could stay with Prompto while he was at the Citadel and Cor ended up joining them more often than not. The young boy tried not to allow his fear and anxiety prevent him from finishing Noctis' gift, dragging Gladio and whoever was guarding him through the streets of Insomnia in search of pictures that were worthy of his best friend's attention. Surrounded by people who cared for him, Prompto found himself forgetting about his worries most of the time, his smile returning after the first two days of his new addition to his small trips outside the Citadel. His laughter coming back after Ravus walked with him through a lesser visited garden only to fall into one of the lily ponds and getting his Kingsglaive uniform all muddy to the older man's utter dismay. After a solid week of almost always being surrounded by people who cared for him, Prompto was completely back to normal and his parents felt comfortable enough leaving him alone in their apartment as they returned to regular work hours.

Of course, no one actually expected something to happen within the Citadel walls and when Gladio had to stay in the training hall to deal with an incident involving a new group of recruits while Ignis and Noctis were in a meeting about the Prince's official birthday party, Prompto found himself wondering the Citadel while waiting for them to be done with their duties. The halls were quite as Prompto found himself returning to one of his favorite places in the Citadel, the halls of Deceased Royals filled with portraits of all the past kings and queens, their families and retinues. Prompto could see the gradual change in favored painting style for the time, the increase in colors available to use and even the advancement in different types of paints. Oils were common as he walked back through the ages and his favorite painting was one depicting the Rogue Queen, her face only barely visible through veils of shadows as the painter focused the attention away from the lounging queen to her retinue of five men who looked at the queen with adoration visible even through the ages. Part of Prompto wondered whether the queen had taken her retinue as lovers, as many rumors inscribed in history books hinted, or if she had someone else in her heart. He was transfixed in looking at the small details in the direction of the paint brush and how some colors seemed to have faded faster than other when he felt someone approach him. As Prompto turned his head to look, he felt a sting on his arm and then nothing.

Cor was livid as he stared at the captain for the children crime unit, standing sweating in front of the Marshall and her commander, Clarus. '' Repeat what you just said.'' Demanded Clarus in a growl. The captain swallowed before repeating, ''A live video of Prompto Argentum has just been posted on three separate child pornography sites along with several pictures of the boy. The video feed is still active, it would appear Prompto Argentum was abducted from the Royal Memoradium hall and brought to an unknown location at around 4pm this afternoon. '' Cor slammed his fist on the heavy wooden desk, a crack resounding as part of it split off from the force applied to it. ''And you waited until now to report this? Explain yourself!'' The captain flinched away from the furious Marshall, their gaze going to the King's Shield but they found no pity or understanding there as the man was just as angry as Cor. The captain returned to look at Cor, who had somehow managed to move right in front of them and said in a deadly calm voice, ''Where is Prompto?'' The captain had to take a step back, trembling visibly as they tried to reply without collapsing in front of the force of nature that was a furious and protective Uncle Cor.

''We don't know his location right this moment but there is an auction planned for 11 tonight. '' The captain says before being grabbed by the front of their uniform and dragged to stand on their toes as Cor growls, ''An auction?'' The captain nods furiously as they said, ''Yes, we have known about it for a bit over a month and were planning on raiding it tonight! It will happen at the private lounge of the Dicernia food industry in their office building!'' Cor let the captain go, not even looking at them as they collapse on the floor, Clarus following the Marshall as he left. Clarus stopped at the door to tell the shaking captain, ''We will be taking care of the raid, have your men stay outside until called.'' Before leaving without a single look back. Clarus had to jog a bit to catch up with Cor, ''How do you want to do this?'' the Shield asked quietly. Cor didn't glance at his friend simply saying, ''I won't risk Prompto's life nor that of any of the children there. We'll need eyes in that Astral-forbidden auction before we do anything. We have less than 5 hours before the auction starts, I want someone in there to observe in 3.'' Cor pushed the door open and walked into a room filled with Regis,Ventus, Ravus, Sylva and Lance. They had a lot of things to plan.

Prompto groaned as he woke up, his mouth felt dry and full of cotton. His vision was blurry as he didn't have his glasses on for some reason and Prompto could hear quiet whispers from around him. Prompto narrowed his gaze as he tried to see where he was and remember how he ended up here. The last thing he remembered was looking at the paintings of Noct's ancestor and now he was in some kind of office? Prompto was thoroughly confused as he looked around; young children ranging from mere toddlers to some who were a few years older than him were sitting in loose groups around the almost empty office. The desks were empty and through the wide windows, Prompto had a wonderful sight of Insomnia as the sun started to disappear and the city light up piece by piece. The blond was dying to take a photograph of it but he knew it wasn't the time for such thoughts. Prompto got up on unsteady legs, ignoring the murmurs from some of the older children as they watched him move towards the only door. ''It's pointless, the door is locked.'' Warned one of them in a tired, hopeless voice. Prompto still had to try for himself, jiggling the handle as he tried to open the door but it was indeed locked and Prompto turned away from it.

As he moved back to where he had woken up, Prompto realised he was surprisingly calm considering the situation. His emotions felt muted and unimportant, his mind almost stuck in a fog with his thoughts calm and easy to form while his emotions were locked away somewhere out of reach. He knew they were there, he felt them there but it was somehow easy to ignore them. As Prompto sat back down, another of the children moved closer to the blond before extending a hand toward the newest of the unfortunate addition to their group, ''I'm Ilia, I've been sold 3 times already and you?'' Prompto registered the word 'sold' in his mind but once again he felt nothing from it even as he understood the implications; instead Prompto reached out to introduce himself with a firm handshake, ''Prompto, I'm getting out of here. Want to come?'' Ilia stared at Prompto then frowned and said, ''Impossible. The door is locked and the masters are armed. If you try to do anything except do what they say they'll hurt you. If you behave then you won't get hurt too much.'' Prompto shrugged, his eyes wondering across the ceiling and the walls of the room.

There was a vent opening close to the ceiling but it was small and Prompto could hear fans churning from it, he discarded it and continued looking for a way out. The windows were out since they couldn't be opened wide enough for anyone to get out and the office had been stripped of all electronics except for…. Prompto reached out and felt along the floor plug, tugging at it until the plastic cover came off and revealed its inner parts. A quick look around allowed Prompto to count the 10 other such plugs set across the room and his mind conjured up a way to deal with the situation without any trouble or risk. Prompto turned back to Ilia who was still staring and frowning at Prompto before he asked, ''Are all the kids here?'' Ilia nodded, ''I overheard one of the masters say that you were a bonus, the last one to be added in the city… Where ever we are…'' Prompto summoned a smile to his lips even if the emotion for it wasn't there and set about explaining his idea to the growing number of children listening to him. It didn't take long after that for Prompto to get all the things he needed and he quickly set out to work.

Cor glanced at the clock which read 2235 and gritted his teeth as he waited for their inside man to make contact with them. Sylva and Lance were sitting close together right beside Cor, Sylva carrying a medical kit ready to follow Cor and the team of Kingsglaive and Crownguards waiting for the signal to attack. The silence was tense and every second that passed without news increased it until finally the radio crackled to life, ''Marshall, Commander…. Call off the attack there is no need of it anymore.'' The voice said with an air of amusement. Cor shared a surprised look with the Argentum's even as Clarus chimed in from another location, ''Please confirm, all threats have been neutralized?'' the first voice came back, this time laughing and confirmed, ''Correct, All targets are in the building and have been neutralized. You might want to come and see this for yourselves.'' Sylva and Lance were out and heading towards the front entrance without losing a moment, followed closely by Cor who motioned for his team to move in with them. The ride up to the floor where the auction was slated to take place was just as silent as the wait before hand but the tense atmosphere disappeared into shock when the doors opened to reveal Prompto with someone phone in hand, taking pictures of the view from the bay windows. All around him, children were being seen by Glaives who had warped there at Ravus' command and the Crownguard who had been planted into the auction saluted the group as they walked out of the elevator. Cor stayed behind as Sylva and Lance headed straight for their son, Cor turning and asking, ''What happened?'' The imposter smirked and explained, '' Your nephew somehow managed to rig a basic computer out of things from the office they were held in and activated the fire extinguisher system for this building. Buildings like these have a CO2 based systems for private floors like these, when I got here I had to use a master coded to open the fire doors. All our targets are alive but suffering from minor CO2 poisoning.'' As the Crownguard left Cor to go report to Clarus, the Marshall stared pensively as Sylva was fussing over her son before going to join them. He could talk with Prompto about further training once they were back safely at the Citadel, Clarus could deal with everything else.

A/N: Prompto and the other children were drugged with anti-anxiety and other neurochemical pills while unconscious, thats why Prompto doesnt have proper access to his emotions during the last part.


	17. 48h

A/N: Very important note at the end of this small chapter.

 ** _36h remaining_**

Prompto allowed his parents to worry over him, his mind disconnected from the events on an emotional level; he knew he should be freaking out, that he should be feeling guilty for making his parents and his friends worry about him but none of that was registering in his mind. When Cor approached and told his mom, ''There is a car waiting to bring Prompto back home. I have to stay here with Clarus and deal with everything else.'' Cor looked at his nephew, an odd look on his face, and he knelt down before asking Prompto, ''Prompto, do you need anything?'' Prompto simply looked at his Uncle with an un-expressive face before shaking it and saying, ''No.'' with an equally bland voice. Cor caught the worried look between his friends as they looked in horror at the change in their son and Cor felt his chest tighten with that shared horror and guilt.

Sylva put a hand in between her son's shoulders and offered, ''If you're ready then we should get going, Prompto. '' Lance has Prompto's hand in his own and wait for an answer. To Prompto his mom's suggestion sound like an order and his body just reacts before he can really understand why, Prompto nods and follows as his parents carefully walk him into the elevator and then into one of the cars waiting on the road. The quick car ride home was silent and filled with a worried atmosphere that went un-felt by Prompto who still had the phone from one of the pedophiles until Lance realized it and took it away. They were brought directly to the infirmary and Prompto stood as unfeeling as ever as he allowed the doctors and nurses to take his blood and do a complete physical exam without ever flinching which only increase the sense of wrongness of the situation. Sylva and Lance cuddled with their overly compliant son as they waited for the results of the exam, both parents fearing what they might be told.

When one of Sylva's coworkers arrived with a wide smile, the tension and worry drained from both of them and Sylva asked, ''Good news?'' the nurse nodded and quickly delivered the results to both worried parents, ''To some degree, Prompto has no physical injury or indication of any assault of any kind. His blood test is another matter entirely; he had 2 needle marks on his arm and the lab result revealed a significant amount of various mood altering and stabilisers.'' The nurse handed Sylva the report so she could read it for herself while continuing for Prompto and Lance, ''That's why Prompto isn't showing much emotions, he can't because of the cocktail of drugs in his blood. Thankfully, none of those drugs are dangerous at their levels and with some water and sleep everything should go back to normal within the next 48h.'' Lance sighed in relief before kissing his son's head while Prompto nodded mindlessly unable to feel relief at the news but he wasn't looking forward to dealing with his emotions once they returned.

Noctis, Ignis and Gladio were waiting with the king as the Argentum family walked out. The three boys visibly shocked by the lack of any expression on their normally expressive friend and Regis asks, ''How are you?'' Prompto looks up to the King but his mind is feeling increasingly sluggish and instead of answering the question he just looks over to his mom. Sylva nods reassuringly at her son before explaining to their worried friends, ''Prompto will be fine once the drugs he was given run their course. It should take more than 48h but until then he is having trouble connecting with his emotions.'' Noctis bites his lips and feel his dad drag him closer in a one armed hug. Ignis nods, his mind already working on way to help Prompto cope with what will undoubtedly be quite a sudden rush of emotions once it happens. Gladio takes one look at the stone face blond and swears not to leave his side unless absolutely necessary until all the bastards responsible for taking away such an important part of the boy, are locked up or dead. Regis offers the tired family a quiet offer to spend the evening in the Royal quarters so the boys could stay together. Lance smiles and accepts the offer quietly, ''Thank you your Majesty, that is a wonderful suggestion.'' On their way over to the Royal Quarters, Luna joins them and decides to stay for the evening.

 ** _34h remaining_**

Sylva and Regis are looking at the pile of sleeping children, cuddling together with Prompto in the middle in the mindless sprawl of youthful sleep. Luna is curled behind Noctis, both of them holding onto one of Prompto's hands while Ignis has Prompto's head on his stomach and Gladio is half covered by the blond boy's legs. Lance chuckles as he moves passed both adults and drop a few extra blankets over the children, tugging them in one by one with as much care as he can. Sylva looks at her son and whispers, ''I want to have a talk with the two pedophiles who targeted my son. I hope you don't mind Regis.'' Her eyes are hard as she talks and Regis answers with his own ferocious smile, ''You can have all the time you want and no questions will be asked afterwards. This should never have happened even less so from within the Citadel. Ventus will be doing a thorough cleaning of the staff to ensure something like this never happens again.'' Lance joins the other two at the doorway to the prince's room and the trio moves away from the sight to sit down in the living room. They stay silent until Cor and Clarus joins them, followed soon after by Ravus. None of them intend on sleeping, not when they have the names of several pedophilic rings operating in and around Lucis, not when their own family could have easily been the target of these disgusting excuse for humans. They had work to do and none of them would be sleeping properly until it was done.

 ** _30h remaining_**

Prompto woke up panting harshly, a hand going to his mouth as he hurried over the sleeping bodies of his friends to throw up in Noct's waste basket. Every movement felt like an eternity to his drugged mind and the heaving gestures of his body often triggered even more vomiting. Prompto felt a hand touch his back as he leaned over the edge of the bed, the touch felt like fire making the blond flinch and shout out in pain before curling up on himself with a whimper. The burning sensation spread through his body slowly even as the sensation increased until Prompto wanted to die because of the pain. He welcomed the darkness when it came, not aware of anything beyond the pain in his body and mind.

 ** _25h remaining_**

The boy opened his eyes to almost blinding light, blinking rapidly with a low groan. The boy's throat felt dry and sore but he had no recollection why. A voice sounded from beside him and the boy shifted his head slowly until he could barely see a black shaped form looming over him, ''…Mpto?'' The boy tries to focus on the shape but a sigh leaves his lips and he closes his eyes once more.

 ** _23h remaining_**

The boy is slow to rise back to consciousness, single thoughts and sensations lingering before a tired and confused mind understands them. There are people around him, talking in low worried voices around the limp boy. ''Is he going to be ok?'' asks one such voice, the tone tilting high in the middle before going back down. Another deeper and calmer tone answer's softly, '' His mother is adamant he will be once the drugs run their course. Prompto is simply having a stronger reaction to its withdrawal then expected.'' The rest of the conversation is lost to the boy as exhaustion reclaims him while he wonders, _Who's Prompto?_

 ** _19h remaining_**

Prompto wakes up crying, hiccupping and gasping for air and not knowing why. He's half sitting on something soft, the steady thump of a heart beat giving him something to hold on even as he struggled to open his water-filled eyes. ''Prompto?'' the voice is his mother's and so is the hand that comes to wipe away some of the tears, Prompto leans into her touch with a quiet sigh of relief. The arms holding him get loose and someone helps him stand. He does then remembers nothing.

 ** _14h remaining_**

Prompto suddenly realizes he's playing a game on Noctis' television, sitting beside his friends and laughter with them. Except he doesn't remember how he got there! The controller slips through suddenly numb hands and his breath catches in his throat. The dull thump of the controller on the plush carpet resounds through his head like a gunshot and he can't breathe! Both hands are scratching at his throat, drawing bright red lines dripping with blood as Prompto tries to breathe and fails, his eyes going blurry with tears and pain. Rough callused hands grab his own to bring them away from his now bloody throat, a warm body wraps around the blond and holds him tight even as Prompto faintly realises Ignis is kneeling in between his legs forcing the panicked boy to meet his gaze as Ignis reminds him to breathe, to follow and copy Ignis as he does. Prompto tries! He tries desperately to breathe and do what Ignis is telling him to do but as his body shakes uncontrollably while surrounded by his friends, Prompto can only lose himself in Ignis' green eyes.

 ** _7h remaining_**

Prompto is staring down at a plate, a fork and hand and Prompto can't move. He wants too, he's hungry and wants to eat but he can't move. When he sees Noctis lean over and say something, Prompto realises he can't hear either. Just watch how his friend's mouth is forming words but Prompto can't hear it over the buzzing that fills his mind as he realises he's not breathing either. His eyes are dry and how long since he's blinked? Prompto doesn't know, his whole body is stuck, muscles pulled tight for some reason. His mom is beside him, running something warm over his arms and hands and he finally relaxes enough to drop the fork unto the table with a clang. Fingers are being pressed on his temples and Prompto is able to blink and hear as warmth flows into him. ''That's it, Prompto, just relax and let us take care of you.'' Says Luna from behind him as she runs her fingers through his hair and allows her power to wash over Prompto's body in a soothing way. Prompto sighs in relief as his body relaxes then winces as the pain hits him and Prompto reaches out for Noctis who grabs his hand tightly.

 ** _3h remaining_**

Prompto is lying on his back once more in Noctis' bed, Ignis and Gladio talking softly to each other just out of sight. Prompto feels exhausted, too exhausted to feel anything. It wasn't the same feeling as 2 days ago when he woke up in the room full of children, where he wasn't able to reach his emotions, this was a comfortable and familiar feeling of emotional exhaustion. Prompto was just too drained from the seemingly emotional whiplash of the last 48 hours to do anything more than lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. He can hear his mom and dad talking with the King and his Uncle Cor about visiting the prison for some reason but Prompto is just so happy that they are there is he needs them. Ravus had dropped by a while ago to pick Luna up, insisting she needed to rest properly after almost two days of staying by Prompto's side and not really sleeping. Prompto could feel the warm fuzziness of the Carbuncle and Umblushie, lent by the siblings as a way to help Prompto feel safe. Noctis shifted beside him, an arm and leg drapping over Prompto's still body and Noctis nuzzles his neck. Prompto feels his lips twitch into a smile at the added weight and warmth from his best friend. Ignis leans over, smoothing light fingers over Prompto's forehead and whispering, ''Try to get some sleep, Prompto. The drugs should be completely gone by morning and you'll feel much better.'' Gladio chuckles from where he is, his own hand moving to readjust some of the blankets to cover both of the younger boys and adds, ''We're here and not going anywhere. You're safe with us.'' Prompto sighs at the touches that remind him he isn't alone, hasn't been since he came back and that he is loved. Prompto closes his eyes and with the comfort of his family around him, allows himself to drift off into a peaceful and happy dream.

A/N:

1) Umblushie is the name Luna gave her Umbra plushie that Prompto made.

2) I have decided to go ahead and start the next part of the series sooner than expected. I will be writing 4 more chapters to give all my delightful readers the plot points you need to know before the start of the game timeline. Once those four chapters are out, I will only be updating once a week for these drabble set and concentrate mostly on the next part of the series. Thank you for all the comments and reviews!


	18. Fallout

_1 week after Sylva and Lance return with Ravus and Lunafreya_

Cor stared at the papers in front of him in utter disbelief. Part of him wanted to start laughing hysterically, another wanted to find that reckless girl to give her a lecture but mostly he was just stunned by the feeling of hope slowly growing in his chest. _Chancellor of Niflheim accused of plotting assassination of Emperor Iedolas._ The headline of the Tenebraen newspaper was in bold letters with two pictures right under it, one of the Chancellor, his face hidden under a fedora like always, and the other of the Emperor, both staring towards each other with a jagged yellow line between both pictures. The Marshall looked up to see Clarus looking amused, ''I'm going to guess she had something to do with it and you didn't know, right?'' the Shield asked. Cor nodded, reaching out to unfold the newspaper and read the first paragraph of the article.

 _In an emergency meeting convoked by the esteemed Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt late last night, an assassination plot aimed at killing the emperor was revealed to the high command of Niflheim's government. The Emperor accused Chancellor Ardyn Izunia of leading the small group whose capture lead to the revelation; the Chancellor denied all such allegation stating that he knew nothing of such a plot and knew none of the captured would-be assassins. An altercation followed in between men loyal to the Emperor and those loyal to the Chancellor, an altercation that left many of the men and woman assembled in the Throne Room dead or injured. The emperor survived with minor injuries thanks to the quick reaction of his servants while the whereabouts of the Chancellor are unknown at this time._

''What about our spies in Gralea? Can they confirm what happened in the throne room?'' Asked Cor with a frown, Clarus sighed and said, ''Only what you just read. Everyone in the Throne room except for Iedolas died including our man within his inner circle. Besithia was supposedly there too. We have no idea what exactly happened only that several newspapers throughout Niflheim had this exact headline and story this morning.'' Cor sighed and told his friend, ''I guess we owe her a drink Friday.'' Clarus grinned and replied, ''Maybe we should invite her to join the Crownguards or the Kingsglaive.'' Cor tensed and shook his head rapidly, ''No. If you value your sanity then you won't ask her that.'' Clarus looked a bit confused and Cor told him, ''Just don't. She's been offered before… It didn't end well.'' That Friday, Sylva was delighted to receive a vintage Scientia wine, Rosée de la Connaissance, which was limited to 15 bottles a year; 5 of which were reserved for the Crown, it was immediately opened and shared among the adult and a curious Ravus.

 _1 month later_

Cor walked into the infirmary, found Sylva and dragged her into a private exam room, locking the door behind him. Sylva looked at him in outrage and demanded, ''What the hell Cor? I'm busy!'' Cor simply looked at her and asked, ''What did you do exactly?'' Sylva folded her arms and raised an eyebrow as she glared at Cor. The Marshall met the glare with a bland expression of his own, a hand extending a report to the nurse. Sylva snatched it form his hand, going over it first with confusion then with increasing amusement until she was chuckling, Cor repeated, ''What did you do?'' Sylva grinned at her friend, handing over the report and told him, ''I just borrowed some signed paperwork from the so called regent of Tenebrae. I sent some to a lot of people just to see what would happen. I had actually forgotten about the request for help.'' Cor looked at her before laughing, unable to keep his appearance of the stern Marshall. Sylva grinned and patted Cor on the shoulder, ''If that's all? I have work to do.'' Cor shook his head and simply asked, ''Anything else I should be aware of?'' Sylva hummed and told her friend as she counted on her hand, ''I blackmailed the head of Nif's intelligence network as Finor, ordered several noble to give anonymous donations to some organisation that are fronts for resistance fighters, moved some of their men around to keep them away from the border…. I think that's it.'' Cor chuckled and gave her a half mocking bow, '' I expect to be invited into your next round of Prank the Nif, Sylva.'' He said in a voice filled with amusement, Sylva replied with her own bow, ''Only if you keep me in the loop for opportunities.'' Both childhood friends shared a look then collapsed into a shared laughter over fond memories.

 _3 months later_

Prompto grinned as he watched his Uncle and his dad have a drinking contest; his mom was chuckling as she kept tabs on who was winning. The whole of the Crown City was celebrating the recent news concerning the war, in this case the sudden withdrawal of all Niflheim troops from the Lucis border as civil unrest from the reports of fighting within the high command of the Empire had led to riots and even outright civil war in some regions. Between the troubles within the Empire controlled region and the use of a MT specific cure created by one of Sylva's lab assistant by the Lucian forces and the hunters, Emperor Iedolas had no choice but to call back his troops in order to try and keep control of his empire. Noctis shuffled over to sit by Prompto's side and asked, ''Who do you think will win?'' motioning toward the two men staring at each other while chugging glass after glass of beer. Prompt thought for a second then shook his head and declared, ''Mom. She's been taking a lot of pictures of them and I heard her talking about needing help to renovate something.'' Noctis stared at Prompto for a bit before turning to look at Prompto's mom who was discreetly taking a few pictures on her phone, a giggle escaped the Prince and he whispered, ''Think I can use that to get Ignis to stop trying to feed me veggies?'' Both boy laughed for a bit before they snuck out quietly.

Ignis and Gladio were waiting right outside for both of their younger friends, Ignis with a half exasperated expression while Gladio was simply grinning. ''Ready to go then?'' Noctis and Prompto nodded, the blond asking, ''Where are we going?'' Ignis replied, ''There is a meteor shower tonight, We will be able to see them clearly from the gardens behind the Citadel.'' Noctis was failr bouncing in excitement as he followed Gladio through the halls, Ignis staying behind to accompany Prompto as he walked slowly with his new cane through the laughter filled halls. Ignis had a basket and a thermos in hand while Gladio was carrying a large blanket over his shoulder which he promptly laid down on the garden grass as soon as they arrived. Prompto was dragged unto the blanket quickly by Noctis, pushed until he was lying flat on his back with Noctis using his stomach as a pillow. ''Hey Prom! Have you ever gone star gazing before?'' The prince asked. Prompto shook his head replying, ''Not really, the lower city has too many lights so we can't really see anything at night.'' Noct hummed and decided, ''Then I'll teach you! Here see those stars over there?'' The prince pointed at a series of stars shining brightly and who formed a curved line through part of the dark sky, Prompto hummed and Noct continued, '' They form the constellation called Titan's belt. Luna said…'' ''I told Noctis about its story when he was in Tenebrae. During the War of the Six, Ifrit was fighting against Titan at Ravatogh Mountain when the Glacian decided to interfere to prevent wandering humans from being caught in between both Astrals. In the snow storm created by Shiva, Ifrit was able to grab the belt Titan had received from Bahamut as proof of his strength.'' Called out a calm and cheerful voice from the shadows.

Luna was grinning as she approached the group, Umbra and Pryna following closely after the Oracle as she sat down with the boys on the dirty and stained blanket. Her white dress shone among the darkness matched only by her smile as she continued the story, '' Titan was devasted, the proof of his strength gone, taken by his enemy Ifrit and the shame of his loss weakened him until Bahamut decided to interfere and help the Archean find his pride once more. Both Astral joined forces to hunt down the Infernian throughout Eos, their path marked in the sky by the stars created by their power as they fought against the Daemon spawned by the Infernian's wrath until at last they stood before the Fickle one among the volcanoes of old Galahad. Ifrit stood no chance before the might of Bahamut with the ever loyal Titan by his side and so the Infernian fled, leaving behind the belt he had taken from the Archean. The belt had suffered in the presence of Ifrit's fire and Titan mourned its lost as it broke at his touch. Bahamut saw the sadness of his friend and took what was left of the belt with him as he returned to the Beyond to request an audience with Nox, the lost Astral of the Night and Stars. With Nox' blessing, Bahamut hung what was left of Titan's belt among the stars as proof of Titan's loyalty and worthiness as an Astral. And that is how Titan's Belt came to be!'' Luna finished her story with a grin.

Prompto grinned as she finished her story, Ignis smirking as he took out an extra cup and giving her a cup of hot chocolate, ''What bring you out here Lady Lunafreya? The party is inside.'' Luna smiled and cast a look at her pups, ''That is indeed true but I'm afraid even messenger dogs have certain needs. What of yourselves?'' Gladio gave a chuckle and Noctis replied to her question, ''There's a meteor shower! Do you want to join us?'' Luna laughed and accepted, ''That sounds lovely. Do you mind if I tell Ravus about it? He always enjoyed watching the stars. '' Luna took out her phone but waited until Ignis nodded before sending a message to her brother. Ravus showed up just as the meteor started falling, the older teen hesitating before joining the group as they all laid down squished together on the blanket, giggling and pointing at stars and constellations.

 _6 months later_

Cor Leonis walked into the garage at Hammerhead with a grin and a wave at the young teenager who greeted him, '' Heya Mister Leonis! What brings ya here? If ya're looking for Paw Paw, hes out back.'' Cor smiled, ''I see. Thank you Cindy. I'm in a hurry but it was nice seeing you.'' Cindy grinned as she wiped her hands off on a greasy towel and Cor followed her direction into the back of the garage. Cid was bent over working on an engine, swearing beneath his breath as he reached for a tool sitting beside him. Cor grinned, walking up to his old friend and handing the wrench to Cid, ''Here you go.'' Cid jerked up at Cor's voice, hitting his head on the hood and bending in half both hands clasped over the sore spot while swearing a blue streak as Cor laughed at him for it. '' The hell are you doing here Kid? I aint got time to chat because of all the broken down pieces of junk you call trucks you sent my way since the Glaives been called back from the front.'' Growled Cid as he got back up and turned to glare at his visitor.

Corr simply smirked as he answered, ''I haven't been a kid in a long time Old man. I'm here to ask you if you're interested in making a trip to Altissa for me. Nothing official just need someone to check up oon a contact of mine there. I'm sure Weskham would appreciate the visit though.'' Cid stopped and actually looked at the Marshall carefully. Cor was shifting quietly, his eyes seemed cautious as though he expected someone to show up and attack him at any moment. Cid grunted then motioned for the kid to follow him into his home. He went straight to his fridge and took out two beers, handing one to Cor before sitting down and asking bluntly, ''Whats this about boy? Tell me straight or get out.'' Cor followed the mechanic and accepted the beer without a word. He took a sip of it before answering Cid, needing the time to gather his thoughts. ''Remember when you and Weskham came back to the Citadel? I told you about the mysterious ALC who sent us the information about the MTs?'' Cid nodded, ''Well Weskham got another package from our mysterious benefactor except…. He can't bring it to Insomnia personally with one of the factions fighting against the Emperor there right now to try and convince the Secretary to join their side of the civil war going on right now. All of our men in the city are busy keeping track of what's being offered and who's talking to whom. You're the only we trust that can get in and out without suspicion.''

Cid raised an eyebrow at Cor as he drank his beer, '' Is that so? I got no reason to go there. That'll be plenty suspicious to anyone looking for trouble.'' Cor stared at his old companion and shot back, ''Going to visit a friend isn't enough? Look, Weskham might be in trouble and I can't go myself because of the situation with Niflheim. The civil war is expanding every day! Almost every general seem to have decided to have a go at becoming the next emperor and it means the armies are unpredictable. Cid please! I'm not asking this as a request from the King! I'm asking this as a friend worried about another one. '' Cid didn't answer for a long time as he finished his beer, taking his time to throw it into the recycling bin before looking at Cor again. The man looked exhausted and frantic as he waited for the mechanic to answer his request. ''Fine Kid. If this is getting to ya so badly then I'll do it on one condition.'' Cor perked up, the tension in his body relaxing and he said, ''Anything.'' Cid grinned and told Cor, ''You're paying for everything me and my girl buy, no questions asked and we're staying at least one night at in that Royal Suite we had when we were last there.'' Cor was shocked motionless for a few seconds before nodding with a grin, ''it's a deal. Thanks Cid.'' Both man shook hands before Cor left the small town to return to Insomnia.

 _10 months later_

Niflheim was a mess; the civil war that had started several months ago seemed to have reached a peak and was slowly winding down with Iedolas having kept the throne despite numerous attempts to kill the man. Still Cor and Clarus both agreed that it would be several years before Niflheim would return to be a threat to Lucis. Regis wasn't willing to drop the Wall just yet but at least his magic wasn't being pulled into restructuring it from attacks and it showed to the delight of everyone in the Citadel. Regis had actually decided to take a day off to spend with his son without any prompting or arguing, a first since Noctis' unfortunate attack and illness. Ravus and Luna had gone with the Argentum family to spend the day at the food festival and Ventus had decided this would be a perfect day to clean up all their offices of unnecessary paperwork. It was a well-deserved break after a year of unusual activity and stress from Niflheim movement not that Cor believed it would last long but for now they could celebrate the loss incurred by Niflheim during their bloody civil war and celebrate regaining most of the territory lost during the last 2 decades. Most of the local populations had taken the chaos within Niflheim as an opportunity to rise up and revolt, throwing away their invaders and accepting the help from the capital. Since the supposed assassination plot lead by the still missing Chancellor was revealed, Lucis had regained 80% of the territory it had previously lost to the MT lead Niflheim forces. It meant a lot more paperwork and just work generally for everyone but it also brought back hope that Lucis might soon regain all what it had lost and possibly be able to help the conquered territories regains their independence one day. Cor shook his head, he could think about the details of such things later, a hand finding a photograph he had forgotten about among the messy paperwork cluttering his desk. It was a picture of Cor, Prompto and his parents at the hospital in Galdin Quai where it seemed, everything hasd started. Cor couldnt find it in him to regret any of it either. With a smile he turned to Clarus and offered, ''Lets leave this for later. We havent been able to spend time with our families lately. The paperwork wont run off anytime soon.'' Clarus grinned and nodded, dropping the stack of papers back unto his desk. Cor grinned, looking one last time at the picture before slipping it into his pocket, he could find a place for it in his apartment somewhere.


	19. Healer

A/N: Thank you to ofskinandbones from tumblr for helping me hash out some of the details here.

Timeline Luna is 16, Prompto and Noctis are 12, Ignis and Gladio are 15.

Luna hesitated in front of the door, taking a deep breath before knocking on it. A familiar voice called out, ''Come in.'' and Lunafreya, Oracle of Eos, entered the sunlit office of the man known as the Immortal Marshall. Cor Leonis looked up from his paperwork and offered the young lady a smile, ''Welcome back Lady Lunafreya, how was your first official tour as Oracle?'' Luna offered a hesitant smile to the man before replying, ''Actually, I came across something worrying during my time outside of Insomnia. I would like your opinion on this.'' Lunafreya put down a cut out piece of newspaper, the headline of the story reading in bold, Unknown man heals Scourge victim before Oracle visit.

Cor frowns, grabbing the article and reading through it quickly before returning his attention to Luna, ''You believe this to be true?'' he asked. Luna nodded and explained herself, ''I checked up on the person this healer helped and there were definitively traces of an Oracle's power lingering on him. There is someone in Lucis who possesses the power of an Oracle and this worries me. I haven't been told of such a person!'' Luna bit her lips at the end. Cor was slightly surprised at the outburst from the usually calm Oracle but as he pondered this new information he had to agree with Lunafreya about this unusual situation. Cor asked, ''Have you told this to anyone else?'' Luna shook her head, ''Not yet. Ravus dismissed it as an impostor trying to run a scam on those stricken by the plague and the rest of the Glaives seemed to share his opinion.''

Cor nodded in understanding, ''Alright, we should tell his Majesty about it but I'll have my men keep an eye out for more information on this mysterious healer.'' Cor got up and offered the young lady a smile, ''As much as I enjoy talking with you, Noctis is going to be cross with me if I keep you here any longer. He's missed you.'' He added while gently guiding her out of his office. Cor reread the article, paying close attention to the description of the healer as he navigated the familiar halls of the Citadel with Lunafreya. The journalist described the healer as a man with an ageless look, tall with crimson hair and golden eyes described as filled with warmth. The description bothered Cor, making him feel like he should know the man being described despite not remembering ever meeting anyone with the power of the Oracle outside of the present company and her predecessor. In the end, Cor wasn't able to see Luna bring the subject up to the King as a frantic Crownguard trainee ran up to him and told him he was needed in the barracks. Cor bit back a heavy sigh of annoyance even as Luna used her hand to hide a smile from the breathless trainee, ''Sorry Lady Lunafreya, I must be off. Congratulations on your safe return.'' With a bow, Cor left to follow the trainee, leaving Luna to continue on her way.

3 weeks later, Cor found himself in Duscae, chasing after rumors of this healer who had been appearing irregularly in the region. When Cor had asked around after the man, an elderly lady who had been healed by the man told the Marshall that the kind healer had been heading towards Taelpar, apparently in search of an old friend. Cor grumbled to himself as he parked his motorcycle in front of Three Z's Motel, it had been years since he had last passed by this area and the memories weren't exactly pleasant for the soldier. Cor glanced in the direction of the Crag with a barely suppressed shiver and went into the Crow's nest dinner to talk with the local tipster. ''Welcome to Crow's Nest! How can I help ya?'' asked cheerfully the lanky man behind the counter. Cor approached him, scanning the small crowd there for a midday meal before asking, ''I'm looking for someone, a man with crimson hair and who's been healing Plague victims?'' The tipster quickly motioned for Cor to lower his voice, looking around to see if someone had heard the question from the stranger. Cor frowned at the response but waited for an answer patiently.

Once the tipster seemed satisfied that no one had heard anything, the man bent closer to Cor and whispered, ''You should be more careful what you say about Healer Ardyn. The folks here worship him ever since he healed Old Man Ludwig when he refused to get the medical cure. The older folks don't have much faith in the medical cure Insomnia's been sending out, they prefer to suffer in silence until the Oracle can help them.'' Cor nodded to show he understood what the tipster was saying before asking, ''So he was here?'' The tipster grumbled straightening up before answering, ''Yes. He arrived yesterday and spent most of his afternoon helping anyone who needed it. Even took care of my niece's sunburn when she asked him too.'' Cor tensed up at that, he had finally found the man. He would have to meet him in person before deciding what to do but at least the hardest part, finding the elusive healer, was over. Cor returned his attention to the tipster, sliding a few gils to him, ordered some food before asking, ''Where is he now?'' The tipster replied, ''Food'll be done soon. As for the man, he went to Taelpar Crag, said he wanted to look at the ruins there even after everyone told him the place was haunted and people usually disappeared if they went too far in.''

Cor swore under his breath, of course he'd have to return there! His left hand twitched with phantom pain and Cor had to concentrate on calming his breathing down before he could thank the man for the food and the information. He wasn't hungry anymore but still forced himself to eat a bit if only to stay away from that godforsaken place for a little while longer. Eventually he had no reason to wait any longer and left with a heavy heart from the dinner, stopping at the local munition shop to grab some potions and an elixir just in case. Forcing himself to drive his bike towards the Crag, Cor dialed Clarus and waited as the phone rang. ''Cor.'' Came the familiar voice as the King's Shield answered, Cor felt some of the tension in his body fade at the familiar voice, ''Have you found our mysterious healer yet?'' Cor answered hesitantly, ''Yes…. He's at Taelpar Crag.''

Back in Insomnia, Clarus straightened in his chair, eye narrowed as he asked, ''Are you alright? Do you want me to send someone else to take over for you?'' The Shield checked his calendar, updated hourly by Ventus, in order to find where Regis was before getting up and heading toward the king's office. Cor sounded stressed and considering his history with that particular area, Clarus knew it would be best if Regis was on hand if something happened. He heard Cor reply, ''I'm not sure Clarus… I never thought I'd be going back there and yet.'' The once reckless kid gave a broken laugh and Clarus felt himself tense up, half angry at himself for not sending someone with the Marshall just in case even if he knew he couldn't have predicted such a situation. Finding Regis was easy, Clarus sliding into the room without a sound and quietly walking over to whisper, ''Cor needs us, he's at Taelpar' Crag. '' The words were enough for Regis to immediately call the meeting to an end as he shot his Shield a worried look. Clarus asked Cor, ''Catch me up on what you know about this healer.'' while he and Regis waited for the room to empty.

Cor stopped at the edge of the valley leading down to where he had once ran off too with all the recklessness of youth, he could see footsteps in the dirt leading down into the Crag itself. The tracks were less than a day old and it meant that Cor would have to enter the valley himself unless he wanted to wait here for however long it would take this healer to return, if he ever did! The Marshall felt all of 15 again, standing in front of one of his greatest shames even as he heard Clarus try to distract him from his situation. ''Not much more then what we knew before I left. He goes by the name Ardyn and appeared about 6 months ago without any warning in Altissa. He was seen entering one of the Scourge quarantine hospitals and never came out but all the patients inside woke up without any traces of the scrouge. He visited all the major hospitals, appearing one day and disappearing by the end of it without anyone the wiser. He started showing up in the smaller hamlets only 3 months ago though, asking questions about the stories of the regions, healing anyone who asked for it before disappearing again. The tipster in Taelpar said this Ardyn wanted to go check the ruins, I'm pretty sure I'm staring straight at his tracks…'' Cor finished wryly.

Cor was only a little bit surprised to hear Regis speak up, ''Cor, how are you holding up?'' Cor gave a strangled laugh at the question, ''I feel like hell, I'm back at the last place I ever wanted to be and it's to find someone who might already be dead!'' Cor hadn't meant to shout but his emotions were running high and he keep flinching as pain ran up his left arm starting from the half hidden scars on his knuckles. He could feel the concern radiating through the phone as Clarus and Regis stayed silent after his outburst, ''Sorry your Majesty.'' Cor mumbled, wincing as he opened and closed his left hand into a fist. ''Cor… Stay where you are, we'll find some hunters willing to go check the ruins in your stead.'' Cor was speechless, part of him wanted to do just that, stay away from his nightmares and let someone else do this part but part of him was also screaming that this was something he needed to do. Cor took a shuddered breath and made a decision he knew he might end up regretting, ''I'd appreciate not having to go down there alone, just in case but… I can't keep running from this eventually. Gilgamesh will test the Chosen King's shield, which means that Gladiolus will need a guide through the ruins one day. It would be best to ensure I don't break while doing that.''

Clarus shared a worried look with Regis at the stark reminder of the future awaiting their children but Regis couldn't deny Cor's logic on the matter, ''If you are certain of this Cor then so be it. Do you need anything else?'' the king asked. Cor never answered as he spotted two shapes making their way out of the valley towards him. He stared in shock at the nightmarish-ly familiar shape of the Blademaster following the other man in front of him. Cor roared as he recognized the man in between him and Gilgamesh as the same man that had almost killed Gladiolus and Prompto almost 2 years ago, his phone dropping from his hand as he drew his sword and ran straight at the Invader from two years ago. He had completely forgotten the Blademaster in his anger, thinking only of killing the man responsible for injuring children while laughing and so he was caught completely when his sword was met by Gilgamesh's, the sword all too familiar, and Cor was thrown back with a kick to his stomach.

When Cor woke up, sometime later, with a blinding headache, gagged and unable to move freely; the voices of his nightmares was there with him, arguing with another man and Cor panicked as he froze in the grips of nearly forgotten terror. ''This is not on you, my king. The fault lies only with those responsible for the scourge and the prophecy of its demise. Let not his anger make your will waver on your chosen path.'' Gilgamesh said, in a tone Cor never expected the Blademaster to take. The reply came in a soft and exhausted tone, ''I know, I cannot waver despite what you have told me. He must be stopped and the prophecy must come to pass. Yet what has happened to you was part of my punishment, to be cursed with this immortally, I cannot hope to be worthy of your forgiveness.'' Gilgamesh sighed and Cor could hear clothes rustle behind his back, ''Ardyn Lucis Caelum, hear my oath. I, Protea Amicitia, swear to stand by you as your Shield, to stand between you and your enemies until I no longer draw breath. My sword exists only for your sake, my shield only to protect you. This I swear on my name and blood. '' The silence that followed was oppressing with tension only to be broken with a whispered, ''I had forgotten how stubborn you are. '' followed by a sad chuckled.

Cor could barely wrap his head around what he was hearing, Gilgamesh was an Amicitia? And the man he had seen earlier, the one who had caused his nephew so much pain was of the Royal line? He must have made a sound or moved in his state of complete confusion because the man in question, Ardyn Lucis Caelum, was kneeling in front of him with a worried expression. ''Thank the Astrals, you have finally awoken. I must apologies for the bidding but Protea was adamant in ensuring my safety.'' Said Ardyn as he reached to undo Cor's gag. Gilgamesh's armored form appeared soon after, standing right behind the crimson haired man without a word. Cor swallowed but didn't speak after the cloth gag was taken away, simply glaring with narrowed eyes and barely concealed fear at the two beings in front of him. Ardyn sighed, lowering his head for a moment, then asked, ''I would ask for your promise not to attack either of us before we release you from those ropes.'' Cor growled but nodded, it wasn't like he had much of a choice anyways. His left arm and hand were screaming in pain in the presence of the man responsible for crippling him when he had been nothing more than a reckless and overconfident teenager seeking to prove himself.

Gilgamesh growled at his king's words but didn't prevent Ardyn from summoning a red dagger from his armiger and using it to slice open the ropes holding Cor. Cor gingerly pushed himself to a sitting position, unable to hide the wince when he put pressure on his left side to the concerned gasp of Ardyn who reached to grab his wrist with a firm but gentle hand, it strangely reminded Cor of Sylva. ''My apologies Cor Leonis, I had not realized you were injured to such an extent. Allow me to heal you.'' Ardyn exclaimed before he mouthed a few words before a reddish glow emerged from Ardyn's clasped hands. The glow was the same as the one that was seen when Lunafreya used her powers to heal and the feeling of warmth and relief was the same if stronger and faster acting then hers. Ardyn sighed heavily as he let Cor go and almost stumble back a few steps, Gilgamesh reaching out to help stabilize him before he fell. ''Thank you.'' Said Cor begrudgingly, the more he looked at the man in front of him the less he recognized the attacker from two years ago. They looked identical and yet the expressions on this man were soft and gentle, almost overly kind and bearing the same slopped tenseness that he had always seen in Regis and Mors; a tenseness that expressed the burdens they bore as Kings of Lucis.

''Who are you?'' Cor asked in the end, finally admitting to himself that this man couldn't have been the one who had caused such troubles in Insomnia. Ardyn smiled, exhaustion obvious on his face, and gave the soldier the proper bow of a King towards a soldier of the Crown, ''My apologies for my rudeness, I am Ardyn Lucis Caelum. First king chosen by the Crystal of the Lucci but now the host of Ifrit's mistake. This is…''Ardyn gasped, his hands going to his head and his expression twisted with pain causing Gilgamesh to exclaim, ''Ardyn!'' The Blademaster turned to look at Cor and told the young man, ''There is no time for explanations Cor Leonis, we are borrowing time we do not have. You will find the answers to your questions within those shadows.'' A second arm, composed of magic, appeared to replace the one Cor had cut off and Gilgamesh picked the now whimpering man, hugging him to his chest. Ignoring Cor's exclamation of outrage and shock, Gilgamesh warped away in a flash of reddish crystal light leaving Cor alone wherever he was.

The turn of events had wiped out the fear caused by his painful experience at Gilgamesh's hands, replacing it with complete and utter confusion at the situation and what it meant for his king. The last words of Gilgamesh resounded in his mind, prompting Cor to look around. He was in a tent of some kind, old and almost disintegrating around him; exiting the cloth flap that served as the door, the Marshall emerge to the familiar light of a haven, the one that existed not far from the valley entrance. '' The answers to your questions are within those shadows.'' Repeated Cor as he looked around until his eyes found a satchel hidden among the shadows of the outlying rocks. As Cor investigated it, he found the leather bag to be full of hand written text, all of it in old Lucian, a language only the Lucis Caelum and their advisers still learnt; the only thing he recognized was the signature at the end of each page, ALC. Unable to make sense of the documents, Cor sighed and dropped his head in his palms in despair at how the situation went completely out of control so quickly.

The Marshall only remembered about being on the phone with Regis and Clarus when he heard someone shouting within the surrounding darkness of the night. The voice was muffled but Cor responded none the less, ''Over here!'' his voice echoing in the night. Cor frowned when he received no reply slowly getting up and approaching the edge of the haven to try and see who ever was out there. As he tried to pierce the moonless night, he felt the sudden appearance of someone behind him, his hand going to his side only to remember too late that he didn't have his sword with him. At first glance, Cor thought Ardyn had returned but then he saw the expression the man wore in the light of the haven glyphs and knew this wasn't the same person as the healer he had just met. The crimson haired man had a dark twisted smile plastered on his face as he stepped closer to Cor without a worry, ''From your expression, I must be correct in thinking you met him. What an unfortunate turn of affairs for you Marshall.'' Cor shifted into a fighting stance, his eyes staying on the man as he walked slowly towards the soldier, Cor using his peripheral vision to try and find his sword but it wasn't within the haven at least.

The man chuckled darkly and a black smoke started emerging from his body, the smoke shifting and reaching out towards the weaponless Marshall. Cor stayed out of reach, moving quickly away from the encroaching darkness as he concentrated on finding a way out of the current situation. The man didn't appear to be armed but the smoke made Cor's instincts scream of danger while the soldier could hear the screeches of daemons approaching the haven from among the dark. He was trapped but not defenseless. Cor fainted as though going to tackle the man but instead held tightly to the satchel and darted away from the heaven and into the dark night. Cor gritted his teeth as a single thought determined his actions, ino matter what he had to give these documents to Regis! /i Cor dodged the slow attacks from the Iron giants, pushed passed the Bombs and ignoring the stinging blows from the goblins trying to steal the satchel from him. The Marshall blinked away the blood from his eyes after a nasty cut on his forehead, his gaze steady on the approaching lights of Taelpar only to have flan appear right under his feet, causing him to fall as his feet were immobilized by the formless daemon. Goblins were quick to attack his arms and Cor almost howled in pain as the bothersome beasts broke his left arm, the pain a reminder of the trauma his mind associated with the area and he couldn't prevent the flash of absolute mind numbing terror that accompanied the thought.

The flan shifted, slowly swallowing his legs and then the rest of his torso, immobilizing the Immortal soldier within its body. A slow laughter could be heard from behind Cor, the flan seeming to obey a soundless order as it twisted and brought Cor to a standing position and face to face with his pursuer, the crimson haired man smiling all too pleasantly for a man walking among daemons. The man smirked, extending a hand as he goblins gave him the satchel, taking the time to look through the papers quickly, ''Well well, Ardyn certainly has been a busy boy, writing so many secrets to share with those traitorous bastards. One might even think he was trying to sabotage me. How cruel!'' The man seemed to expect some kind of reaction from Cor, looking positively disappointed when he received nothing more than a blank stare from the soldier. ''How boring. Won't you entertain me Marshall?'' the man mockingly asked as he lifted a hand to allow his finger to slide along his imprisoned audience's cheek. Cor had to force himself not to react to the cold and slimy touch, his peripheral vision seeing black mare his skin. The man sighed and then pondered out loud, ''Perhaps this shall garner a reaction?'' The man asked with a foreboding grin before he lowered himself to whisper straight in Cor's ear, ''Neither the queen of Lucis nor the Queen of Tenebrae died. '' Cor's eyes widen as the man straightened himself, watching in satisfaction as Cor face showed his disbelief then anger at his words, ''Impossible!'' Shouted Cor as he struggled against the flan, his whole body coursing with anger. The man simply laughed in delight before using his free hand to take out a picture, turning it around so Cor could see it clearly even in the darkness.

Cor's anger faded into absolute horror as his mind took in the photograph, it showed Aulea Lucis Caelum in a pink and red dress, a thick metal collar visible around her neck and her expression one of exhaustion and resignation. On the other side of a small table sat Sylva Nox Fleuret, dressed in an identical dress except hers was of purple and blue colors, the queen was wearing an identical collar. Cor stopped fighting against the flan, his face showing the abject horror as he came to understand that what this man had just said was true. Said man roared in laughter, his face dissolving in black smoke and sheer white skin as he did, increasing the sense of nightmarish horror running through Cor's body. ''Ah, such a delightful expression. Shall I introduce myself at last, Cor Leonis? I am Niflheim's Chancellor Izunia, or at least such is the name and title chosen by my host, I see no reason to change it since it is rather fitting.'' Izunia bowed a mocking parody of what Ardyn had done not too long ago, before straightening up and saying in a mournful voice, ''I wish I could stay longer to entertain you with stories about my lovely guests but I'm afraid duties calls and I must return to them.'' The daemon in human form approached Cor, raising the satchel in front of his prisoner and burning it until only ashes remained. Cor kept his face blank even though internally he was despairing at his failure to warn Regis about who the Chancellor really was and more importantly about the fact that Aulea and Sylva Nox Fleuret were still alive.

The Chancellor seemed to read his despair despite the strong face the soldier wore and tutted, ''don't look so down dear. I have no intention of killing you… yet.'' The man's now empty hand rose to grasp both sides of Cor's face, black smoke pouring from them and twisting into the Marshall's open wounds, his nose and even his mouth when it opened in a silent scream of pain. ''No… it will be much more enjoyable to see you suffer when my plans come to completion. You will live but with no memories of tonight's events.'' Ardyn Izunia whispered, more to himself then to Cor, as he infected the soldier with the scourge before dropping his hands and ordering the flan to let Cor down. The Marshall's unconscious body collapsed heavily on the dirt and Izunia nodded in satisfaction as he felt the scourge run through the man's veins, one last order to the flan in order to insure no daemon tried to kill the defenseless man and Izunia left the area without a look back. He might not be aware of everything that pestering goody two shoes had done but at least there were little chance of it happening again after tonight. It wasn't like Gilgamesh would be able to leave the ruins of his home city any longer, and neither would Ardyn as soon as Izunia finished his latest invention.

A/N:

Protea Flowers, especially the King variety stands for change and transformation. It signifies daring and resourcefulness. It is symbolic of diversity and courage.

Aurea and Sylva Nox Fleuret are alive because Ardyn wanted someone to brag to about his plans who were aware of the prophecy. Its also because I just read a bunch of fics where both of them are alive and decided it needed to happen in mine too.


	20. Peace Envoy 1

A/N: This is the events 1 year pre-game. I borrowed some of the lines from the initial encounter between Ardyn and Regis (in game) for the encounter between Glauca and Regis in this fic.

''All clear at point C.'' called Nyx with a bored voice, leaning back against the broken down remains of a stone wall, the hero of the Kingsglaive smiled at his partners as they looked over to him. Crowe was perched at the top of what was left from a guard tower, the stone masonry held together mostly by vines and small flowers that resisted the destruction of war, with Libertus beneath her, keeping an eye both on the ruined plains and on the mage. Luche, Tredd, Axis and Sonitus were scattered within eye sight across the ruins, keeping an eye out for whoever Niflheim was sending as envoy to discuss a peace treaty. The Glaives could hear similar reports echoing from the other groups scattered in the region after the sudden retreat of the Niflheim forces who had been trying to break the stalemate at the Old Wall. Less than an hour after the retreat, a single MT had shown up at the wall holding a white flag, giving the first Glaive that had approached an envelope before self-destructing. The envelope had contained an official request from Niflheim to open peace talks with Lucis, an invitation the king had accepted with suspicion but the offer had to be at least considered.

In the end it was Pelna, who had been down walking the half-abandoned trenches created by the Glaives in the last 3 years since Niflheim had renewed the war by invading their home of Galahad, who noticed the lone man walking towards them. ''I have something at point C! Looks like a single person approaching our location. No MT's or other troops accompanying them.'' Pelna declared, hurrying to rejoin Nyx as the shape made itself clear. Crowe swore as the shape came closer, ''It's that damned General Glauca!'' she exclaimed outraged on the com line. ''What!'' exclaimed Libertus, warping to stand beside her, his body tensing up as he confirmed it himself, ''The hell are the Nifs thinking! Sending their High Commander to a peace talk?'' Nyx couldn't answer Libs' question but his instincts were telling him to be careful, turning off his com link and told his friends, ''Doesn't matter what their planning. We're here to make sure nothing happens, no matter who the Nifs send.'' His forcefull and angry declaration was greeted with determined nods, Nyx clicked his com back on and listened as Ravus gave his orders, ''Stay on your guard and escort him to the designated car. He is to be brought straight to the Citadel without delay to meet with King Regis. General Glauca is to be treated respectfully for the duration of his stay within Lucis.'' The obvious anger and not so hidden outrage that filled Ravus' tone helped make greeting the General, unarmored and sporting an infuriating smirk of superiority, and escorting him to the black and silver car more bearable for the survivors of the Galahad invasion.

The king sat on his throne flanked on his right by his Shield, Clarus Amicitia, and on his left by his Royal Adviser, Ventus Scientia, when the Niflheim's High Commander walked in, escorted by Cor Leonis and Ravus Nox Fleuret. General Glauca smirked as he approached the throne and gave a mocking bow to the man he had once worked under, ''I greet you in the name of his Imperial Majesty, the esteemed Emperor of Niflheim and all its conquered Imperial Territories, Iedolas Aldercap. '' The general rose too quickly for protocol, noted Ventus with a frown glancing over to where Clarus had taken half a step forward as though to protect his King from the traitor. Regis straightened on the throne, a frown marring his figure as he asked, ''Has Niflheim grown so bold that they send a traitor to Lucis and the man responsible for the massacre of thousands as envoy? And with no guards at that.'' Glauca simply smiled and replied, ''I cannot express my pleasure at being remembered by the ruler of Lucis but allow me to introduce myself for the sake of your council. I am Titus Glauca Drautos, High Commander of Niflheim's imperial forces. I am here to present his Majesty Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII with Niflheim's term of peace offered in good will by Emperor Iedolas.'' The sheer arrogance in the his voice and words had everyone tensing up, Ravus gritting his teeth to keep himself from attacking his mother's murderer where he stood something that Cor noticed, sending the young man a warning look.

Regis forced himself not to respond to the obvious taunting instead motioning to the man to continue. Glauca shifted, extending his arms to sweep the room as he declared, ''The Emperor grows weary of this senseless war as such he proposes some simple terms! First, Lucis will concede all territories outside of what it currently holds! Secondly, The Kingdom of Lucis will recall all of its operatives operating outside of the territories! Thirdly, a marriage between the charming Prince Noctis and the granddaughter of his Imperial Majesty, the lovely Imperial Princess Servia Aldercap!'' Regis almost sat up in outrage as he heard the terms proposed by Niflheim. The king heard his council members react in the way that he couldn't, getting up in outrage, shouting their disapproval until Regis lifted a hand and silence returned to the throne room. The General hadn't flinched or reacted at all, the same self-serving smile gracing his lips as he kept his attention on the King. His Royal Majesty, King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, rose slowly from his throne, staring down at the envoy from Niflheim with a carefully bland expression, ''You must be tired from your trip. Cor! Escort our guest to his quarters.'' The words were an obvious dismissal and Glauca offered another mocking bow before turning to mocking grin at his former coworker who met the taunt with a blankly polite face. Cor left the throne room with Glauca following him through the halls he had lived in over 9 years ago.

Ravus was trembling with rage as he watched the General walk out uncaringly from the Throne Room, only turning his attention away from the closed doors when Regis called out to him, ''Ravus?'' the king's tone worried. Ravus looked up to where Regis was watching him with worried eyes and let out a sigh as he walked up the stairs to rejoin the king and his advisers. Clarus reached out to squeeze his shoulders as the Commander of the Kingslaive reached them, receiving a small smile of thanks as the King's Shield did so. Ventus looked over the small group and asked, ''What are your thoughts, your Majesty?'' Regis sat wearily back down on his throne, a hand absentmindedly going to rub his bad knee, as he gave his answer, ''I am worried about what Niflheim is planning with these terms. They are by no means perfect but at the same time they are within reason considering the current situation on the front. They have not been able to make any progress past the Old Wall for over a year now despite their almost continual attempts at doing so.'' Regis nodded and added, ''We can easily continue holding them for as long as we need between Prompto Argentum's inventions and the advances made to the weaponized Star Scourge antidotes. There is no reason for us to accept any of these demands!''

Clarus nodded in agreement with Ravus' assessment of the situation at the Old Wall, the Kingsglaive had been able to withstand numerous almost desperate attacks from Niflheim over the last year with very few loses. While Niflheim had a large population to draw upon to replenish the human portion of their armies on top of the constant production of their mechanized infantry, Lucis had a much smaller population including the ever growing immigrants arriving to take refuge inside its borders and were destined to lose a war of attrition. Clarus glance over at Regis, spotting the increasing amount of stress lines and grey hair his charge had, it wasn't just the population that made a war of attrition a bad idea, the strain of the repeated use of magic through the Kingsglaive were weighing on the King despite Sylva and Luna's best efforts to minimize the damage done by drain of magic. Ventus had caught the look Clarus had sent to the king and knew exactly what the Shield was thinking. The council members were also offering their King their own opinion on the matter. Most of them were in agreement that the terms proposed were unreasonable considering the way the war front was progressing, a select few wanted to negotiate terms further in order to increase the advantages for Lucis and the last group wanted an immediate end to the war regardless of Niflheim's unreasonable demands.

It was amid this ongoing discussion that Cor returned to the Throne room and silently took his place beside Ravus. Regis turned to the Marshall and asked, ''What is your opinion Marshall?'' Cor gave Regis a small bow and replied, ''My thoughts on the matter are simple, this war has been at a stalemate for over a year, we cannot foretell how long it will continue nor what the cost of doing so will be. I would suggest his Majesty take the time to consider all the benefits and disadvantages of pursuing a peace treaty with Niflheim.'' His words resounded through the room with a sense of finality. Regis hid a smile behind his fist and nodded, ''Then we shall leave the matter to rest until morning. I expect everyone to look further into the matter and be ready so a thorough discussion on our next action tomorrow.'' All the council members bowed to their King before leaving the room small groups. Cor sighed at the tense atmosphere but he was in a similar state with the presence of Drautos in the Citadel, ''If we stay in such a bad mood any longer, Sylva is going to end up dragging us into another prank war.'' He said finally. The look of utter confusion at the change of subject did the trick, relaxing the atmosphere until laughter could be heard across the room. Cor smiled as he glanced at Ravus, the young man no longer as tense as previously.

Glauca smirked as he heard Cor close and then lock the door to the suite he had been brought too. It was spacious and met the expectations of an envoy from a warring country but none of that mattered to Glauca. He was more interested in seeing what became of the Kingsglaive since his departure, the information received from fighting against them only giving a rough idea of their abilities as the group had started relying less on their magic and more on some new weapons that was impossible for Niflheim to counter. The peace offer was only part of the reason why he had been sent to Insomnia, as someone who had lived within the Citadel and Insomnia, he had been ordered by Chancellor Izunia to find either the person creating these new weapons or at the very least more information on them. While Glauca held no love or even respect to the overly dramatic Chancellor, the task did hold merit and Glauca had every intention to accomplish his assigned task. The General took his time to wash up as he planned how to slip out from the gaze of the watchdogs assigned to him by the Marshall, in the end opting to do it in a simple manner. He got dressed in the casual clothes he had kept from his time in Lucis before opening one of the windows and warping out of his suite into the garden he could see from his position.

His arrival in the garden went unnoticed and Glauca found himself free to move around the Citadel without worry, confident that none of the staff would recognize the old commander of the Kingsglaive after so many years. Glauca didn't hesitate to leave the Citadel, heading straight to the Kingsglaive headquarters located in between the Noble District and the beginning of the Lower District. The large building was unchanged from his memories, the three pairs of guards were exactly where he remembered and the ex-commander smirked as he moved out of sight of the men until he reached a unguarded door used by the people hired to clean out the building weekly, he used that as a point of entry. As he entered the building, Drautos was hit by a wave of memories from his time as the Commander of the specialized unit; both good and bad memories the smells and sights of a place he had considered sort of home for close to 5 years of fighting and training new recruits within its halls. He could hear the familiar shouts of people training, a sound he was quite familiar with and he followed his memories until he reached one of those halls.

There were a dozen people warping around the hall, the blue crystal shards filling the air reminded the General of the reflection of the ocean on the coast of his home before Lucis had ensured its destruction. Drautos had to leave the room before he blew his cover by acting on his almost overwhelming anger, the man turned his back on the fool who were putting their lives in the hands of the cowardly line of Lucis and headed towards the bureaucratic part of the Kingsglaive Headquarters. He slipped unnoticed among the many staff members moving through the building, Glauca was quite amused by the lack of security as he made his way to what was once his office; there was a single Glaive looking bored standing guard beside the Commander's Office. As Drautos approached the Glaive stood straight, their gaze assessing the unknown man for threats. Glauca grinned internally, his eyes looking around and finding the halls empty, before the General warped to the guard in a display of red crystalline light, a needle piercing the soft flesh around their carotid artery while Glauca's free hand stifled any attempt to make noise. The Glaive stiffened in his grasp, eyes becoming black as the newest Scourge experiment took hold if its new host before the new type of Daemon relaxed under Glauca's grip and waited for its orders.

Glauca grinned as he took a step back and inspected the former human Kingsglaive. Other than the now completely black eyes there were no there sign of the transformation, Glauca ordered, ''Go cause a distraction.'' The human deamon turned and walked away, looking completely normal to an onlooker. Glauca watched with satisfaction as the daemon disappeared from sight before turning to the door. He tested the handle but as expected it was locked not that it matter much to Glauca. Warping through the door was easy after he slid a thin dagger through the door's upper edge and before long; Glauca was looking through the documents neatly filed by the current Commander of the Kingsglaive, the foolish child Ravus. Glauca frowned as he quickly realized that all the documents with the information he desired were coded with at least three different segmented codes, ''So the boy can learn some new tricks after all…'' Glauca muttered under his breath returning the files to their proper place even as an alarm started blaring through the building. With a satisfied nod to himself, Glauca cast one last look at the room, comparing it with what he remembered seeing as he had entered the room and finding it to match the memory exactly. Using the distraction provided by the daemon, Glauca was able to return to the garden then to his suite with no one the wiser of his movements and with his next task in mind: observing the Argentum family.

Ravus was helping Ignis and Luna bake some of their favorite desserts when a Kingsglaive burst into the kitchen frantically, ''Commander! There is an emergency at the Headquarters! Please come with me immediately!'' Ignis reached out and grabbed the mixing bowl Ravus had in his hands with a nod, ''Go ahead Lord Ravus, we'll keep some for you.'' Noctis' adviser stated, allowing the Commander of the Kingsglaive to follow his soldier back to their headquarters. Ravus demanded, ''What's the situation?'' as he did so, both Glaives warping through a window and unto the pavement below, the Glaive guiding his commander to a waiting car, ''A Glaive suddenly started attacking the new recruits without provocation. The instructor was able to subdue him but not before 3 of the recruits suffered serious injuries, all of those presenting signs of Scourge infection. The injured recruits and the Glaive were sent to the hospital under guard.'' Ravus frowned and ordered, ''We'll head to the hospital first then, has Luche's group returned from the front?'' The Glaive nodded before gliding into the driver's seat while Ravus slid into the passenger seat. The Glaive started driving towards the designated hospital used by the Kingsglaive while in the city before he answered the last question, ''Yes sir! They arrived 2 hours ago and were debriefed then allowed to rest.''

Ravus took out his phone, dialing the group's leader and waited as it rang twice before being answered, ''Commander Ravus?'' answered Luche, Ravus spoke quietly and plainly, ''I apologise for disturbing you but I need you and your group to keep an eye on our guest from Niflheim. An incident involving the Star Scourge just happened within the Headquarters and I need people I trust keeping an eye on him until we know what happened.'' Ravus could almost hear Luche's mind turning across the call until the ambitious man replied, ''Yes Sir! I'll contact everyone and head straight to the Citadel with them.'' Ravus hung up; they were almost at the hospital anyways. The instructor of the injured recruits was waiting for Ravus when he arrived, giving the man a salute before explaining the situation, ''The injured recruits are being treated, the nurses have taken blood tests and administered the cure to prevent further transformation. They are expected to make a full recovery.'' Ravus felt some of the tension flee form his body at the news and motioned for the man to keep talking. ''The glaive that attacked us was brought straight to the quarantine section. Mrs Argentum was on staff and is taking care of him with her team as it is. No one knows what happened, he was standing guard at your office one moment and then was attacking us the next.'' ''My office?'' exclaimed Ravus at the news. The instructor nodded, ''We sent someone to check but the door was still locked and nothing looked out of place either.'' The words did nothing to reassurance the Kingsglaive commander as he stepped into the quarantine unit and saw Sylva Argentum in deep conversation with a group of medical professionals.

Ravus stepped up to the group, ''I believe you have one of my Glaives here.'' Sylva looked away from the man she was talking too and gave Ravus a smile, ''I'll explain things to him, someone has to go and let his Majesty know about this.'' The nurse stated to her team, receiving nods of understanding as the group went to do their jobs, leaving her with the Glaives. Ravus waited patiently, worried, until Sylva turned to face him and motioned for the current leader of the Kingsglaive to follow her. ''How is he?'' Asked Ravus. Sylva sent the worried young man a comforting smile as she answered him, ''He will be fine with some rest. He was infected by an unknown strain of the Star Scourge but it's responding to the cure none the less as any other strain does. We took some blood samples before administering the medicine but we'll have to wait until the results come back before we can determine what exactly it is. He's being sedated until the Scourge levels in his blood are at a lower concentration, they were on the edge of a full transformation when he arrived.'' She led the small group to one of the sealed rooms used within the unit where the infected Kingsglaive could be seen lying still in the bed, the steady beeps of machinery allowing the medical team to know how he was doing with ease. Ravus turned to Sylva in confusion exclaiming, ''On the verge of becoming a Daemon? It's the middle of the afternoon!'' Sylva nodded frowning, ''Yes, somehow this man was infected with the Scourge and was able to walk around unnoticed and undisturbed by sunlight. The only thing that indicated he was even infected before we drew his blood were his eyes, they were completely black.'' She answered obviously sharing Ravus' concern, ''Someone is letting King Regis know about the little information we have.'' She turned to Ravus, giving his arm a soft squeeze before saying, ''Let us do our job Ravus, I'll keep you informed on what we find. You are needed elsewhere right now, especially when we have a guest from Niflheim.''

Ravus glanced at her in surprised before sighing and muttering, ''Why am I surprised you know about that?'' Sylva chuckled before saying, ''I know that someone is here to try and figure out a peace deal to end the war. Lance didn't tell me anything else.'' Ravus tensed up at the reminder of who was staying within the Citadel, thankful Luna had decided to move into the same apartment building as Noctis a year ago, and decided to let Sylva know who exactly had been sent, ''Niflheim sent Glauca as envoy.'' Sylva hissed between clenched teeth, knowing full well who the man was and what he was responsible for, her concern for the young man clear as she let her hand slide down his arm until she could hold his hand in both of hers. ''My door is always open Ravus, I'll be there if you need me.'' She reminded the boy, receiving a shaky smile and a squeeze of her own at the reminder. Ravus looked one last time at his Glaive then turned around and walked out, he needed to know what Glauca had done during the time between Cor's departure and when Luche arrived with his friends to keep watch over the merciless Niflheim General. Ravus' instincts were screaming that their esteemed guest had some part to play in the sudden attack by the Scourge infected Glaive.


	21. Peace Envoy 2

Day 1

Glauca walked down the halls of the Citadel, ignoring the steady presence of the Kingsglaives who had been assigned to keep an eye on him while he remained within Insomnia borders, in favor of approaching gardens create in honor of the dead from the war against Niflheim. The General had a smirk on his face as he walked carelessly through the paths set up by gardeners until he arrived at the Sylleblossom flowerbed dedicated to those who had died in Tenebrae. As he had expected, General Glauca found her royal highness, the Oracle of the Astrals, Lady Lunafreya helping a gardener tend to the delicate flowers; the General grinned as he gave the lady a bow and declared, ''It is a delight to be able to meet the youngest Oracle in recorded history once more. How do you do Lady Lunafreya?''

Luna jerked up at the sound of the General's voice and stared up to the man who had tortured her brother in front of her on several occasions; her pale skin became even paler as the blood drained from her face and Luna stayed silent for several moments before she was able to reply, giving the Niflheim General the shortest bow she could politely, ''I am well General, might I inquire why you are here?'' Umbra and Pryna both putting themselves between the General and their mistress with a low growl of warning, one which Glauca ignored. Glauca smirked, casting a brief glance back to his two escorts, one of which was talking quietly into his ear piece while the other was staring straight at him ready to move should the General act threatingly towards their Commander's sister. Returning his gaze at the slightly trembling girl, Glauca replied, '' I heard that these gardens were dedicated to the unfortunate lives who perished over the years. I was wondering how many of these flowers I helped plant here….'' Luna tensed and the gardener gasped at his words allowing the General to enjoy their shocked and horrified expression. One of the Kingsglaive, round face and braided hair, reacted quickly by coming up to the Oracle, bowing before giving her a short message, ''My apologies for disrupting your conversation Lady Lunafreya but the king has asked for your presence. Nyx will be here shortly to escort you to his side so please head over to the entrance.''

Luna nodded, barely hiding her gratefulness at the Glaive's interference, and told the unwanted guest, ''I must be going, I hope the negotiations go by swiftly and end well for all involved.'' With those words, Luna hurried away, leaving behind Glauca, his escort and the gardener, pausing only to whistle for her dogs before disappearing from the General's sight. Glauca grinned, satisfied by his actions and delighted that the Oracle was still so responsive to his presence. He ignored the gardener being shoed away from him, knelling down to smell the vibrant blue flowers and reminiscing in his memories of the destruction he had caused in Tenebrae and the few days he had spent playing with the survivors of the 'fire'. The Glaive who had interfered in his enjoyment was back to standing a few feet away, glaring at him with obvious hatred. Glauca grinned and soon left the gardens behind, still trailing his escort behind him as he returned to the Citadel in time for the next meeting.

Day 2

The Niflheim General didn't care one bit for the negotiations; he had done his job when he had delivered his message to the cowardly king. Anything more would be left to others, he was simply waiting for an official answer to the proposed terms of peace before he could leave the dull city and return to actively planning how to take down his enemies in the most gruesome and painful way. He slipped away from the Kingsglaive keeping an eye on him today, disappearing into the garden with practised ease. Glauca didn't have much of a destination in mind until he heard a somewhat familiar voice, ''I see, I'll bring you the documents soon Uncle…. Yes… I'll see you soon.'' Glauca walked around the corner and saw the younger of the two Scientia putting away his phone. Glauca grinned and moved towards the young adviser with a smirk, silently moving until he stood right behind the boy.

Ignis felt the silent presence only when Glauca was right behind, looming like an unwelcomed shadow over him; he jerked up and away from the Niflheim General. Glauca grinned at the slight expression of fear that showed up on the adviser's face before it was schooled into blank politeness. The adviser offered the General a short bow, ''General Glauca, what brings you out here? And where are your escorts?'' Ignis glanced around looking for the Glaives that should be accompanying the Niflheim guest only to find this part of the garden completely empty except for both men, the realisation somehow made Ignis uneasy as he returned his attention to the looming man staring silently at him. Glauca took a step forward, ''My escorts of the day seem to have gone missing but no matter, I have you to keep me company in this fine day.'' The general reached out and gripped Ignis by the elbow tightly. Ignis found himself stuck between a tree and the general with nowhere to go, he swallowed through a suddenly dry mouth, hiding his fear behind the polite mask of Noctis' adviser and moved away from the man. ''I see no problem in escorting you back to your quarter, General.''

Glauca was amused by the change in Ignis' posture, allowing the mere boy to free himself from the bruising grip but simply grinned menacingly when Ignis mentioned escorting him to his quarters, ''I do not usually have an interest in men but I would gladly make an exception for you. Such a delicate face and the sounds you make when in pain…. It would please me greatly to hear them in person.'' Glauca whispered to the adviser. Ignis flinched away from the man in horror, stuttering, ''W…What?'' Glauca grinned, taking a step forward and enjoying as Ignis tried to keep his composure even as Glauca continued to talk, ''It is simply a pity that Karacus wasn't able to give us the Prince's location but the recordings he sold of your time together were quite popular among Niflheim's army.'' Ignis paled the more Glauca talked, his hands starting to tremble as his mind reeled from the implication if the General's words were true. Glauca reached out once more to grasp Ignis and jerk him closer to his body, leering down at the barely standing boy, intent on continuing his amusement when a roar disturbed them, ''What are you doing General Glauca! Remove your hands from him immediately!'' Clarus Amicitia roared as he walked over to the pair, reaching out to gently guide Ignis behind him. Glauca grinned and bowed apologetically, ''My apologise, I became lost within the gardens and was merely asking this young man for direction on how to return to my quarters.'' Clarus glared at the man, keeping himself between the General and the pale Ignis and simply stated, ''Then you won't mind if these Crownguards escort you back to your quarters.'' Motioning for the 2 Crownguards instructors with him to escort Glauca away. Glauca merely smiled as he turned to follow his new escort, pleased by his short time torturing the weak prince's adviser.

Day 3

Glauca was shaving in front of his mirror when he had a sudden flash of inspiration, he was quite bored waiting for the slow gears of bureaucratic politics to move in Lucis, the only real spots of amusement had been the moments when he had met Lunafreya in the gardens and his amusing discussion with Ignis. As he looked at his image in the mirror, he remembered the annoyances that were his escorts, most of the ones he had seen had clearly been from Galahad. With a smirk of victorious vindication, Glauca left the bathroom and found a little token he had taken from the village where he had lead the first attack on the Islands Nation of Galahad, bringing it back to slip into his hair with glee. When he finally stepped out of his quarters and was seen by the Kingsglaive guarding his doors, he relished in the bitten off growls of anger that emerged clearly heard by Glauca. The feathered ribbon was apparently a mark of an honorable warrior who had performed a great rescue of another and it was apparently considered one of the greatest honors a Hunter of Galahad could receive. Glauca had no doubt that seeing such a thing in his hair would be a source of great amusement as he waited for the reply from Lucis, making his way downtown to the Immigration Districts market to bask in the resulting chaos brought forth by his presence.

Day 4

Glauca met Lance Argentum as he looked through the library for something to read to help with his increasing boredom. The encounter went nothing like he had planned as the lanky patriarch of the Argentum family stalked up to the general with a bland and yet judging gaze flitting up and down the General's larger frame before settling on the man's face. There was no hint of fear in those eyes only disdain and the kind of anger that came from being a good father looking out for his children, something unusual to Glauca who was used to seeing fear and anger more often than not. Lance gave the somewhat confused General a soft smile before speaking, ''General Glauca, I have heard much about you but never had the pleasure of truly meeting in person before. I am Lance Argentum, Minister of Immigration of Lucis.''

Glauca gave a soft chuckle before replying in kind, ''The pleasure is mine though I am afraid I have never heard of you before. To what do I owe this visit?'' Lance grinned and stated, ''I came to give you a fair warning concerning the rest of your stay here. '' Glauca leaned back and crossed his arm with a huff of amusement, waiting for Lance to finish what he had to say, ''The children are not here for your amusement Glauca. Continue to use them as such at your own peril.'' Lance said simply. Glauca waited to check if Lance had finished before starting to laugh, tipping his head back as he laughed obnoxiously. Lance simply kept his polite smile and waited patiently for the general to stop. When the man did finally stop laughing, Glauca straightened to his full height and while towering over Lance, asked tauntingly, ''And if I don't? Are you willing to endanger the chance of a lasting peace with Niflheim over the feelings of mere children?''

Lance reaction wasn't what the General expected as the man smirked back at Glauca quickly reaching up, grabbing the general's shirt and pulling him down with unusual strength and whispering into his ear, ''I am not the one you should worry about General, it's Insomnia's Trickster you should watch for.'' Lance stepped back and let Glauca go, looking just as polite as when he had first arrived into the library, reaching beside the stunned General's head to take a book from its shelves and walking away. Lance glanced to the Kingsglaives staring at him with shock and almost admiration to which Lance answered with a smile and nod before showing the Galahadian feather award he had just stolen from Glauca without being noticed hiding by the book. The speaker left the General in stunned silence, wondering who Insomnia's Trickster was, in a welcomed parody of an old saying; the pen is mightier than the sword!

Last day

Glauca was standing in front of the throne, waiting for the official response from Lucis' cowardly king. He had been told a decision had been reached last night, soon after he had met with Lance in the library and somehow lost track of the Galahad token he had left braided in his hair, and had already arranged to leave straight after this so called audience with the King. He waited impatiently as Regis made his way to his throne with his Shield at his side. Once seated, Regis looked down on Glauca and declared, ''We have come to a decision concerning the offered terms for a peace with Niflheim! While Lucis wish to find common ground with Niflheim and create a lasting peace between our countries, certain terms offered by the Empire have been found to be undesirable for that process. Lucis will not stop trying to regain the land invaded by the Empire nor will we submit to the demand of recalling operative who have risked their lives outside of Lucis' borders! Tell the Emperor that if a peace is to be found then it shall have to be fair for the sacrifices made by generations who have put their trust in the hands of myself and my ancestors! Such is our final decision.'' The declaration resounded through the room, giving even more weight to the King's words.

Glauca bowed to the king and replied, ''I shall give your answer to the Emperor. I pray you do not regret your words, Your Majesty.'' Clarus took a step forward to stand in front of his King, glaring at Glauca and telling the General, ''You will be escorted to the edge of Lucian territory by our Kingsglaives. I suggest you do not return Glauca. Should Niflheim wish to continue negotiations then they would be well advised to send someone other than a Traitor to the King!'' Glauca let the comment slid off his back without care; he had no intention of returning unless it was to see the destruction of the kingdom of Lucis come to pass. Rising from his mocking bow, Glauca turned around and left the room, intent on leaving as soon as possible. The Kingsglaives that had served as his escort during the last few days were gone, replaced by another group waiting with the car that would drive him back to the frontlines. As the General approached, he saw a woman handing his luggage to one of the Glaives who put in into the trunk of the car. By itself, Glauca would not have noticed anything from it but when the woman turned around he realised it was Sylva Argentum. The man grinned at the woman, giving her a bow as she moved away from the running car and looked with visible anger at the General. ''I have heard much about the famous nursing who lead the research and development of the Star Scourge cure, it is a pleasure to meet you before I leave.'' Sylva glared at him and walked passed him without a word, disappearing into the Citadel and leaving the Niflheim General to get into the car without interference.

Sylva stayed at the doorway, looking as the car and its undesirable guest left the Citadel grounds. She looked away from the small window at the sound of footsteps, giving the approaching group a fond smile. Her friends and family (minus the children who had been told to stay away from the Citadel until Glauca was gone), as well as the Glaives who had suffered the Niflheim General's presence since Ravus had requested they keep an eye on the slippery man, were here to watch the car bearing Niflheim's envoy disappear from sight, bringing with its disappearance a sense of relief. Sylva moved over to hug her husband who returned the embrace before asking with an amused tone, ''Spill. What has you so happy?'' The question drew everyone's attention and Regis shifted to look at the nurse; the woman looking all too please with herself. Sylva hummed and said 2 words with her most devious smirk, the one both Cor and Lance recognized as trouble just waiting to happen, ''Glitter Bomb.''

A/N:

And Sylva joined Lance in the ranks of people worshiped by the Kingsglaive ;)

I've been having a tough time written the last few chapters. I will be finishing the final chapter sometime this week before I move on to the game events. I will be re-editing the first part of the series since it badly needs to be edited. Thank you everyone who has read and commented on my chapters!


	22. End of Negotiation

A/N: I couldn't find Luna's birthday so I'm putting it as the 4th of June. This is about 1 month before the beginning of the game.

It had taken almost a full year for the negotiations between Niflheim and Lucis to reach a conclusion, a year of back in forth between the two nations with proposals and counter proposals until at last both side were somewhat satisfied with the results. Lance sighed as he looked at the headline of the morning newspaper, **Peace Treaty Finalized** , relieved that Regis had taken his advice and allowed the newspapers to learn all of the details and if the subtitle was anything to go by, the king and even allowed some journalist to interview him and ask questions about the Treaty. He hummed in appreciation when Sylva moved up behind him and kissed his shoulder while hugging him. ''Good morning love, you were back late last night.'' Lance whispered as he turned to return the hug. Sylva nodded, still half asleep, and explained, '' I was talking with Luna and Ravus, they are both quite stressed with Luna leaving in a week to fill her part of the treaty.''

Lance hummed; slightly worried about the two children they had saved almost a decade ago. Both had grown beautifully into strong and confidant leaders to the utmost pride of all the adults around them. (Including the older Glaives Ravus had come to command over the years to his continuing embarrassment and secret pride whenever they teased him about some of his accomplishments.) Lance closed his eyes and offered, ''Shall we organise a family dinner then? We can give Luna her birthday present early since she won't be here for it this year.'' Sylva laughed delighted, ''You have such good ideas. I'll let the children know about it then.'' She kissed Lance's cheek and the couple went about their morning routine.

In Noctis' apartment, Ignis smiled as he leaned unto the doorway to Noct's bedroom enjoying the sight of his lovers intertwined together under the blankets. Gladio was laying on his back, spread across the whole bed, arms holding unto Noctis and Prompto who were curled up to the behemoth of a man. Both of their younger lovers were using Gladio's chest as pillow and Ignis was a bit reluctant to wake them up but only a bit. With a sly grin, Ignis approached the bed and sat down on its edge, reaching out the trails ungloved fingers across Gladio's bare chest careful not to disturb Noctis or Prompto. Gladio woke up at the first touch, his body tensing for a second before he caught sight of Ignis and relaxed with a pleased hum. Ignis chuckle, not stopping his teasing touch as he whispered adoringly, ''Good morning Gladio, could I ask you to wake those two up?'' Gladio grumbled deep in his chest but nodded none the less, almost whining when Ignis stopped touching him and got up. Ignis simply smiled and walked away to finish breakfast.

Gladio watched Ignis swagger through the door, his eyes following the sway of those delightful hips before going about his assigned task. ''Come on, up and at them!'' he grunted as he slowly sat up, moving with him the two boys. Unsurprisingly, Prompto was the first to wake up, looking up with sleepy eyes at Gladio while whining, ''Do we have to?'' Gladio chuckled, a soft smile on his face even as he leaned forward to kiss the adorable blond teasingly. Prompto chased after his boyfriend's lips with a moan, wanting more of Gladio's addicting kisses but Gladio shook his head, messing with Prompto's hair, ''Ignis has breakfast ready for us and we're expected at the Citadel. We can play after, Prompto.'' Reminded Gladio and making Prompto pout a bit before the blond stretched and with an amused glance at the still slumbering prince, headed off to wash off the last traces of their night together. With Prompto taken care of, Gladio turned his attention to his prince who looked adorable trying to stay asleep. Gladio gathered the sleepy bundle and started nuzzling Noct's neck knowing how much the feel of his beard made Noctis shiver. Soon enough, Noctis was moaning and pawing at Gladio's face trying to make his Shield stop to no avail. ''Gladio!'' moaned Noctis as he opened his eyes, looking to Gladio with clear desire and want. Gladio chuckled and moved to kiss the needy prince, ''Morning Princess, time to get up, your father is expecting us soon.'' Noctis groaned against the kiss, trying to bury his head in Gladio's chest and go back to sleep only to find himself get picked up by the larger man and dropped on his feet outside of his bed and shooed him into the bathroom where Prompto took over corralling the sleepy prince into showering and getting dressed.

Gladio and Ignis were finishing plating their breakfast when Prompto and Noctis joined them, awake and teasing each other as they walked in. ''Morning Ignis! It smells amazing!'' said the blond cheerfully, walking up to kiss the cook before grabbing his plate and heading to the table. Ignis smiled fondly at their chocobo before turning to his prince, ''Morning Noctis.'' Greeted Ignis with a smile and a small kiss to the prince's forehead, Noctis returning the greeting with his own muttered one. The four settled around the dining table, Ignis sharing the morning newspaper with Gladio and skimming through the main story concerning the Peace Treaty while Prompto and Noct concentrated on eating the meat and veggie omelettes Ignis had made for everyone. Prompto looked up from devouring his breakfast to ask, mouth half full, ''Hey Iggy? Whats going to happen now that the Treaty is done?'' The blond keeping his eyes down on his plate, worry evident in his voice.

Ignis shared a look with Gladio before answering, keeping his voice calm and steady for Prompto's sake, ''His Majesty will be explaining all the details of the Treaty when we meet him later but our biggest concern is Noctis' wedding with Her Ladyship, Imperial Princess Servia Aldercap, in Altissa.'' Noctis flinched at the reminder of his upcoming marriage with someone he had never even met before and the granddaughter of the Emperor to boot. ''We're not going anywhere.'' reminded Gladio to Noctis, as he reached out to lay a hand on the prince's back in comfort. Prompto nodded enthusiastically, and added, ''No matter what happens, we're in it together!'' giving Noctis a hug as he said it. Ignis nodded sagely and added his own piece, ''No matter what we will be by your side.'' The small reassurance from his boyfriends helped Noctis relax and push aside his worries until another day; he gave them all a smile and nod of thanks before returning to picking the veggies out of his omelette and giving them to Prompto, ignoring the exasperated glared from Ignis.

All too soon, the four guys were on their way to the Citadel to meet with the king and his council about their part to play in the signing of the treaty. Prompto tried to keep the atmosphere in the Star of Lucis upbeat by getting Gladio and Noctis to join him on King's Knight for a group mission but while they did kick ass and destroy the monsters, Noct still looked down as they followed him into the Throne Room. The King was sitting on his throne, looking grave as he watched his son and his retinue approach, silent as he waited for them to bow before talking. ''Prince Noctis, you have been asked here to discuss your part in ensuring the success of the peace treaty with Niflheim. In one month's time, you will leave to marry the Imperial Princess Servia Aldercapt. Your retinue will accompany you during the trip to ensure your safety and the success of the treaty.'' Noctis tensed up as his father confirmed what he already knew and bowed his acknowledgement of the order, followed closely by his friends (his boyfriends). Regis sighed and got up, descending the stairs to stand beside his son and reaching out to laid a hand on his shoulder, ''I'm sorry my son, if there was any other way…'' He left the words unsaid, trusting Noctis to know what he meant. Noctis took a shuddering breath and nodded, '' I know…'' Noctis was more than aware it was his duty as prince to do what was necessary for his people and the peace treaty would help everyone, especially since Niflheim had actually agreed to return all the land they had conquered in the last 20 years!

That particular news had rendered most of the immigrants ecstatic with hope as the details were hashed out over three long months until Niflheim had ordered all their forces on Galahad's islands to leave as gesture of goodwill though the act had forced Lucis to give in to their demand that Lucis give them a redacted version of the research for weaponizing the Star Scourge Cure now in use across Eos. Regis looked over to the three men who shared their lives with his son; he was well aware of their love for each other and knew the sacrifice he was asking of them all. The sour and dark atmosphere was broken by Prompto's phone going off, allowing the cheerful sound of the Chocobo song to resonate through the empty room. Prompto blushed dark red as he hurried to pull his phone out, all too aware of the exasperated sigh Ignis was giving and the chuckle from Gladio, ''Sorry! I forgot to turn it off….'' He mumbled before declining the call without looking at the name flashing across his screen. The king shared a look with his son before both started laughing at the blond's unfortunate luck. ''I see you have yet to change your ringtone young man. How long have you had that one?'' teased Regis gently, smirking as Prompto blushed even more. Noctis was still laughing, just off the edge of hysterical and couldn't resist adding, ''Didn't you get it after that trip with Cor? Dad still has that picture on his desk!''

Cor groaned from his position by the bottom of the stairs and shot back, ''Are you ever going to stop reminding me of that? It's bad enough the damn thing is still on the wall of the Crownguard's office.'' The Marshall glum and exasperated tone was the straw that broke the last remains of the previously tense atmosphere as Ignis could no longer contain his laughter with Clarus joining with his own chuckles, causing the next few minutes to be filled with laughter and good nature teasing from everyone except for the amused guards placed around the edges of the room. Prompto couldn't help but take several pictures of the happy group especially since he had the feeling such occasions might not happen again soon or at least not until the Treaty was signed and everyone was back in Insomnia safe and sound. Flipping through the pictures on his phone, Prompto received a text message from his mom _Planning a supper for the family, are you free tonight? Your boyfriends are invited too._ Prompto hummed happily before shooting back a question; _Can we bring the king too? He's stressed._ It didn't take long for his mom to answer; _I suppose we can invite everyone. I'll leave the invitations to you_ _J_ Prompto smiled and turning to his friends and exclaimed, ''Mom's wants to do a supper for Luna tonight, can you guys come?'' Cor grinned and shout back before anyone else could respond, ''I'll make sure they're there tonight with gifts for Luna too!'' Clarus and Regis turned to shout in unison, ''COR!'' which started another round of breathless laughter.

By the time the four friends left the Throne Room with barely concealed giggles and burst of laughter, Regis was feeling slightly better about the terms on the Treaty and the very real possibility that in about a month there would finally be lasting peace between Niflheim and Lucis after centuries of ongoing war and aggression. Part of him felt uneasy about the whole thing, his instinct screaming that Niflheim was being too generous and compliant with allowing Noctis to get married in Altissa instead of insisting on a marriage in Insomnia or Gralea but he prayed to the Six it was only paranoia from spending all his life fighting a never ending war and nothing else. Clarus shifted beside him, a hand coming to rest gently on the small of his back and a concerned whispered into his ear, ''Are you alright Regis?'' The king nodded, looking at his friends and occasional lovers who both looked worried, before giving them both a tired smile and replying, ''I will be once the Treaty is signed and Niflheim removes their armies from our lands.'' Cor nodded in agreement, ''We'll need to do a general survey afterwards to check and see what needs to be done in those areas. Not to mention we need decide who will replace Ravus once he leaves to return to Tenebrae. '' Clarus chuckled, ''We have plenty of work to keep us occupied even after the Treaty is signed, if Sylva doesn't force us to take a vacation that is.'' Regis smiled, enjoying the peaceful moment for a bit as he was gently led away from the throne and towards his office where Ventus was already waiting for them with several piles of documents. ''We have a lot to do before we can join the other for tonight's supper with Mrs. Sylva.'', said the adviser with a smirk, handing each of the men their work to do and ignoring the exaggerated groans coming from the King's Shield and the Immortal Marshall.

The hours fly by for everyone until Cor keeps his promise and drags his friends to the Argentum home where everyone else was already there and waiting for the older men to arrive. ''Nice for you to come!'' Welcomed Sylva with a smile as she guided Regis to sit down in an armchair before shoving a beer brewed by Weskham into his hand with an amused grin. Regis was a bit confused at the grin until he read the name of the beer in his hand and swore to the amusement of everyone around. Ravus stood beside his sister and asked the man who had become a bit of a pseudo-uncle over the years, ''What's the matter Your Majesty? Are you not enjoying your beer?'' Noctis quickly joined in on the teasing, ''It's a beer fit for kings after all! You should at least try it.'' Clarus and Ventus shared a look of confusion, drawing up to their king to look at the beer before both started to laugh at the name. Clarus wheezing out, ''Reggie's Night Light?'' The beer can was midnight blue with several shiny stars all across it with a man, an easy recognized caricature of Regis, was halfway turned and pulling down his pants, the curve of his bare ass visible. Cor just grinned smugly before high fiving Sylva as she passed by to help Ignis plate the food and serve it, the soldier explained, ''Weskham sent it with a message and I quote, I wished to be reminded the wonders I had forgotten since your last visit, unquote. I'll leave you to figure out what he meant by that.''

Noctis choked on the glass of spritzy wine before exclaimed, ''Ew! No! What the hell Cor! No!'' While shaking his head desperately to get the mental image of his dad involved with anyone in any sexual way. Regis sighed, opening the can and taking a swing of the beer, pleasantly surprised when the taste hit his palate and he almost moaned when it spread through his mouth until he swallowed and the taste lingered divinely on his tongue. ''Weskham is an astral of food,'' Regis exclaimed when he was finally able to talk after the almost mouth orgasm a simple sip of the beer gave him, ''he managed to combine the taste of salty Accordo coffee and Ulberry sweetness perfectly!'' Clarus, still somewhat breathless, reached out and swiped the can from Regis' hand before taking a sip himself, ''Damn! You're right! Can I get one?'' he asked to no one in particular. Luna was there with one and handed it to the Shield with a smile even as Prompto called out, ''Foods ready!'' The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and good humor as they ate spread across the dining and living rooms, chatting with and at each other about everything except politics or the Treaty.

Luna was quite surprised and delighted when she was presented with a cake that Ravus made under the watchful eyes of Ignis followed by her birthday gifts: A new journal from Noctis (Luna promised to keep in touch no matter what); a mini picture in a keychain of Luna and Ravus sitting with Lance and Sylva surrounded by Sylleblossom from Prompto (She practically tackled Prompto when she saw the picture); Lance and Sylva gave her a matching set of daggers and garter sheath (she insisted on putting it on right there and then); Ravus gave her a necklace with a crystallized sylleblossom (Luna kissed him on the cheek, whispering her promise to stay safe); Ignis and his Uncle had worked together and presented the Oracle with a fully paid home on the outskirts between Tenebrae and Insomnia for her private pleasure and a safe place to rest (she couldn't contain the tears that fell down her face); Gladio, Clarus and Iris had gleefully handed her a titanium edged fan that Iris artfully proved its usefulness as a weapon by slicing through a small dagger with barely any pressure (Everyone stared in amazement and stunned silence for a full minute after Iris was done, staring at the neatly cut metal dagger); Regis and Cor were the last to give the young woman her present, a set of keys for a specially constructed car of her own whose beauty matched the Regalia and the Star of Lucis (Luna was promptly escorted out of the house by Nyx who was waiting patiently for his signal to do so. Neither of them were seen until late the next morning.)

 **Excerpt from Insomnia Dawn morning News Paper**

… We were able to receive a copy of the finalized terms of the Peace Treaty between Niflheim and Lucis, here are some of the terms:

Be it resolved that all territories, countries or state invaded, conquered or absorbed by or into the Niflheim Empire after the year of M.E 731, will be returned to their rightful rulers within 1 complete year (365 days) of the Signing.

Be it resolved that the Oracle of the Six, Princess Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, will go on a tour of Niflheim held territories, countries and states to complete her duties as Oracle as of the following date, 15th of April M.E. 756. The Oracle will be accompanied by a team of 3 Lucian escort and 3 Niflheim escort during the duration of the tour which shall last a minimum of 3 months.

Be it resolved that Niflheim will acknowledge the war crimes committed by its army against the people and conduct fully public investigations against all such reported crimes.

Be it resolved that Lucis will acknowledge the right of Niflheim to the territories, countries and states held by Niflheim before M.E. 731 and will make no attempt to interfere with Niflheim rule over said areas.

Be it resolved that Niflheim will acknowledge Prince Ravus Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae as ruler of Tenebrae in its entirety, as per the borders defined by the Accords of Fenestala in M.E 600 and pledge not to interfere in its governance.

Be it resolved that Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum of the Kingdom of Lucis will marry the Imperial Princess Servia Aldercapt within the State-City of Altissa within the week following the Signing of the Peace Treaty.

Be it resolved that Ravus Nox Fleuret will be crowned as King of Tenebrae one week after the Signing in Insomnia before the Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt and King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII.

A/N: I will be taking a week off writing to edit Prompto is what? and plan out the changes within the game timeline. The first chapter of the new part will be posted sometime before the 25th of May and the next chapter of Ten years of adventure will be posted sometime that week as well.

Thank you everyone who has been reading this and all the comments and kudos as well!


	23. Prompto the Crownguard

Prompto stares at the mirror in the waiting room, nervously adjusting then readjusting the jacket that finished off his, HIS, official Crownguard uniform. He glanced at the clock, biting his lips and whispers to himself, ''5 more minutes…'' In five minutes, someone would walk through those doors and summon him to take the Crownguard vows of service to both Crown and Noct, prince Noctis for the ceremony. Despite training with his friends for close to 5 years, Prompto couldn't quite convince himself this was actually happening!

Deep in his anxiety filled mind, Prompto didn't notice the door opening and his Uncle slipping in quietly. Cor smiled as he saw Prompto fidgeting in front of the mirror, he had expected as much from his nephew but since his friends were needed in the throne room for the ceremony, Prompto had been forced to wait alone with his nerves. ''You earned this.'' Cor declared as he leaned against the closed room and watched, only slightly amused as Prompto jumped in fright, ''Are you ready for this? We can always call it off and do it another time. It's your choice Prompto.'' Prompto turned around quickly to look at his uncle, lounging against the door with ease and shook his head, ''I'm ready… just nervous about it…'' Prompto answer, a hand going to scratch the back of his neck.

Cor straightened and moved to stand beside Prompto in front of the mirror, gently turning Prompto so he would be looking into it. Meeting his nephews eyes through the mirror, Cor allowed his pride and happiness to show on his face, beaming at the young teen before telling him, ''I am very proud of you Prompto, you've come so far from the young shy boy who saved my life back in Galdin Quai. You became a close friend to the prince and his retinue. You bravely helped your mother create a cure for the Star Scourge, despite your fear of needles. You invented a way to use rainfall to distribute the cure over a large area!'' As Cor reminded him of his accomplishments, Prompto blushed, growing more and more flustered as he felt the pride and joy radiating around him, towards him!

Cor grinned, please as he felt the nervous energy drain out of Prompto's body even if it was replaced by Prompto being embarrassed. Prompto shifted slightly before meeting his uncle's gaze squarely, ''Thank you Uncle. I'm ready now.'' Cor nodded seeing the awkward teen become a determined man before his eyes, with one last squeeze of Prompto's shoulders, Cor straightened and announced, '' Then follow me Prompto Argentum, it is time for your swearing in.'' Cor left followed closely by Prompto and the duo walked through the short hall separating the waiting room from the Throne Room. As they approached the huge decorated double doors, Prompto hesitated, his steps slowing down just for a fraction of a second before Cor heard a deep breath being taking and felt Prompto catch up without trouble.

The doors were opened by the guards, Cor marching in without hesitation followed by Prompto, who couldn't help but gulped as he saw the amount of people there for his swearing in ceremony. Noct and his dad were a given, the king sitting in his throne with Noctis standing regally beside him. Ignis and Gladio flanked Noctis while Clarus and Ventus stood opposite of them, all wearing a serious expression. Sitting on their chairs were all the Nobles of the courts and councils of the Kingdom who were present in the capital. Standing in parade rest flanking the path to the throne were Crownguard, Prompto could name 90% of them with mixed feelings about that knowledge, and surprisingly the upper balconies were filled with Kingsglaives who openly cheered their mascot and official photograph with no regards to protocol. Prompto couldn't help the grin that showed at the obvious show of support, glancing around before Cor cleared his throat and reminded Prompto where he was.

Prompto flushed scarlet, ducking his head down in embarrassment and shot a quick apologetic look at Noct and his dad getting the slightest look of amusement, quickly concealed by both Royals. Reminded of why he was there, Prompto took the few steps separating him from the first of the steps leading up to the Throne and knelt there and announcing as was expected, ''I, Prompto Argentum, am ready to take my Oath to King and Crown, to Prince and Future.'' Head bowed in submission and respect, Prompto waited for the response to his declaration. He heard the low murmurs of the crowd around him, the whispered silence that came with such occasions and had to work hard to contain his excitement when Cor's voice resounded from behind him, ''Prompto Argentum, you kneel before the King, what is your Oath?'' Without losing a beat Prompto gave his answer, ''I vow to serve the King and protect His people. I vow to obey His orders and act in His name with dignity and respect.'' From above him, the king nodded regally and declared, ''Your Oath has been accepted before the Astrals. May you wear the symbol of Bahamut with pride.''

Cor waited a few moments for calm and silence to return to the room before asking, ''Prompto Argentum, you kneel before the Crown, what is your Oath?'' Prompto answered, ''I vow to serve the Crown and Her people, to uphold its laws to the best of my abilities. I vow to help those in need and represent the Crown with dignity and respect.'' Cor struggled to hide his smile even as one of the Nobles rose from their seat and declared, ''Your Oath has been accepted before the Crystal. May you wear the colors of the Crown with pride.'' Prompto gave a small sigh of relief and listened as Cor spoke for the third time, ''Prompto Argentum, you kneel before the Prince, what is your Oath?'' Prompto took a deep breath before he spoke, to him this Oath was the most important of them all, ''I vow to stand by the Prince through all that may occur. I vow to help Him in all matters as requested. I vow to protect and serve the Prince of Lucis with everything I have. I vow to do so with Dignity and Respect.'' It wasn't the traditional vow given to a prince of Lucis but there wasn't really a set oath for the Crownguard to take only guidelines and Prompto had followed them…

There was a bit of a shocked silence following his words and Prompto shifted uneasily as he wondered if he'd screwed up. What he couldn't see from his position was the shocked and grateful expression on Noctis' face as he beamed down at Prompto, it took him a few moments to find his voice and give Prompto the reply he needed, ''Your Oath has been accepted before the Ring of Lucis. May you use my magic with pride.'' Prompto almost collapsed in relief when he heard Noctis accept his vow, hearing the pride his friend had as he spoke. Cor glanced up at Regis, remembering his own vows when he had first joined the Crownguard as King Mor's bodyguard and his own vows to the aging king. Clearing his throat, Cor spoke formally for the last time, '' Prompto Argentum, you kneel before the Future of Lucis, what is your Oath?'' Prompto replied, fighting to keep his voice steady as he did so, ''I vow to protect the Future of Lucis and its people, to fight to keep the Future safe for all. I vow to lay my life so that other may live and thrive after me.'' This time it was Ravus who answer his Oath, the man stepping from his place behind the Throne, as he declared, ''Your Oath has been accepted before the Citizen of Lucis. May you serve them with pride.'' Prompto ducked his head to hide his grin, there was only one part left to the ceremony and it was the one Prompto was looking forward to the most.

Noctis slowly walked down the stairs until he stood on the step right before Prompto, he looked down on his friend with pride before summoning one of his swords from his Armiger. The blue crystalline light lit up the immediate area for the briefest of moments and Prompto glanced up to smirk at Noctis before returning his gaze downwards and waiting. Noctis straightened his posture slightly and spoke, ''Prompto Argentum, you have been chosen for the honor of being my personal guard. What is your answer?'' Prompto grinned, trying and failing to keep the excitement and happiness from being heard as he replied, ''I accept and thank you for the honor.'' Noctis fought back a chuckle and gently pressed the flat edge of his blade unto Prompto's right shoulder while saying, ''Then rise Crownguard Argentum and accept the gift of the Crystal's magic.'' Prompto pushed himself up with a barely restrained grin and bowed as he accepted the blade that Noctis was presenting him. The blade shattered in his palm, the crystalline shards sinking into his flesh with an odd burning sensation and Prompto staggered as he closed his eyes shut from it. Noctis was quick to press a hand on his arm to help steady him until the sensation passed and Prompto could breathe freely once more. He thanked Noctis with a small nod then turned to bow to the King, as he rose up cheers resounded throughout the hall from the assembled Kingsglaive and his family.

Cor was the first to clap his back as he was the closest but Prompto soon found his arms full of his excited mom who hugged him so tightly he had trouble breathing; Lance was beaming with pride as he gently pried Sylva from accidentally suffocating their son and hugged Prompto only a little bit less tight then she had. Prompto laughed as he was quickly overwhelmed by people congratulating him, Noctis staying by his side during the chaos of congratulations and well wishes. He felt the prince tug on his sleeve after a short while as everyone starting dispersing to return to their jobs and duties, Prompto turning to find Noctis with a wicked grin and a finger over his lip to indicate Prompto stay quiet. Prompto nodded, casting a glance at Cor who nodded towards him before returning to talk with Ravus and Prompto grinned, moving to follow his friend through a side door and down an almost empty hall.

''There you are Highness, I see you managed to slip out without trouble once again.'' Ignis' voice resounded through the hall, an amused and teasing tone clear in his voice. Prompto grinned as he spotted the immaculate man walking up to them followed by Gladio who wore a pleased, cat got the cream, grin as they came to stop beside their younger companions. Gladio didn't waste any time in grabbing Prompto into a headlock and messing up the carefully combed hair, disregarding Prompto's complaints with practiced eased, while congratulating the blond boy, ''Congrats on joining the Crownguard Prom! You're officially one of us now.'' Prompto blushed at the praise and Ignis joined in, ''Indeed, you have made significant progress from the young child who followed us on the rooftops of the Citadel half a decade ago.'' Prompto squawked, ''Iggy! Did you have to mention that? I was a kid!'' Ignis pushed his glasses up, using the gesture to hide his grin before returning to the matter at hand, ''Your highness? Everything has been readied as you requested.'' Ignis said.

Noctis nodded and turned to look at Prompto, ''Come on! We have to celebrate now that all the fussing about is done!'' Noctis looked excited, wide eyed and grinning as he reached out to grab Prompto's wrist and dragging his friend, and now personal Crownguard, through the halls and then outside where a car was waiting for them. Prompto looked around confused then asked, ''Where are we going?'' Gladio grinned and pushed Prompto into the back seat, waiting for Noct to join him before closing the door. Prompto pouted at his friends as they ignored his question, Noct simply stating, ''You'll see!'' while grinning in obvious amusement at Prompto's confusion. Ignis slid in the driver seat, casting a glance at the two boys poking each other in the back seat with a fond smile while Gladio was making himself comfortable in the passenger side of the car. The drive was short as Ignis took the most direct route to their destination, stopping the car outside of a high end restaurant known for their photographs decorating their dining hall as well as the impressive waiting list for their impressive dinner and show.

Prompto's mouth slid open when he realized where he was, his jaw working to try and form words but the usually chatty teen was too overwhelmed to do so right now. Noct grinned, sharing a gleeful look with the other two before moving to stand beside Prompto. He reached out, laying a gentle hand on Prompto's back and said, ''Come on Prompto. I know it looks amazing from here but I'm sure you'll love the view from the restaurant even more.''

Prompto closed his mouth, nodding thoughtlessly before he turned and practically tackled Noct into a hug. ''I… I don't know what to say guys… Thank you!'' He mumbled towards his friends with a blush. Noctis laughed and returned the hug without a thought. Ignis smiled, allowing both young men to continue their public display of affection before gently clearing his throat and reminding them, ''We do have reservation, your highness. It would be good if we were to start moving soon.'' Noctis nodded and between the three of them, they managed to get Prompto into the Child of Summer restaurant and show lounge without too much gawking or trouble, the only annoyance being the flurry of photographs and reporters lining the sides of the entrance hoping to take pictures of any celebrity going in for an evening of entertainment. Gladio had growled at them before the reporters had stopped trying to step in front of their group in order to get picture of the prince.

Prompto had been quick to duck his head, hesitating to walk beside Noctis until the Prince had sighed wearily and grabbed his hand to practically drag the blond through the entrance. The restaurant guaranteed the safety and privacy of his patrons while they were inside and the four were able to relax after passing through the darkened glass doors and were quickly escorted to their reserved table, in the best spot to enjoy the view through the glass bay windows and the stage performance. Prompto kept looking around; his fingers itching to grab his camera at take as many pictures as he could! Since that wasn't an option, Prompto settled for flitting from one side to the other of the balcony their table was set on, looking around at the various plants and trees that gave the restaurant a vibrant almost living atmosphere, the water tank set in the middle of the first floor was filled with various fish (Noct had spent almost a full 10 minutes looking at them and naming as many as he could) and the lively music playing from a band completed the many things that rendered the restaurant so popular.

Once everyone was seated, a waiter walked up and presented each one of them with a single page menu bearing the description of the day's 7 course dinner. Noct didn't even bother looming at the menu, staring with a smile at Prompto as his friend mouthed the names of the different dishes, confusion clearly written on his face until Ignis took pity on the youngest of the group and leaned over to explain what each dish was. On stage, the evening show, a classical piece of Lucis theater 'The Rogue queen's reign'; which was a supposed re-enactment of one of the most famous Lucian queens, The Rogue Queen who had supposedly spent her reign traveling the land of Eos, taking many lovers and conquering many dangers before settling down in Insomnia heavy with child and with no one knowing who the father of said child was. Ignis and Gladio had already seen the play as done by a lesser theater group within the Crown City and both had enjoyed it immensely even if Ignis had spent the next three days trying to find what part of the play was historically accurate and which were pure works of fiction. He hadn't found anything that disproved the many incredible and flustering adventures both sexual and otherwise that were either implied or outright shown during the play.

The confusion became excitement and Prompto was practically drooling when they brought the first course, a dish of several types of cheese fondu with a basket of bread. It was followed by a hearty anak and potato soup, then a simple salad. The sorbet was an Ulberry and honey sorbet and had Noctis frowning for a bit, turning the morsel over in his mouth and swallowing only when it had completely melted in his mouth. ''This is it! Ignis!'' Declared Noctis excited, turning to look at his adviser, ''The Ulberry! They were in those pastries from Tenebrae!'' Ignis lifted an eyebrow, reaching out to take a bit of his own sorbet thoughtfully, ''Is that so? Umm, I shall ask where these berries can be found and give it a try then your highness.'' Ignis made a mental note to find some Ulberries for the desserts Noctis insisted Ignis tried to remake without consulting Luna or Ravus about its ingredients. Perhaps with this new ingredient, he would be able to complete the dessert to the exact memory from Noctis' short stay in Tenebrae.

The rest of their evening passed by quickly, almost too quickly for Prompto but towards the end of it, the new Crownguard was starting to feel a bit off somehow. He couldn't pin point what was wrong per say but he was definitively something off with his body. ''Prompto is everything alright?'' Asked Ignis as they drove back to the Citadel, jerking out of his thoughts, Prompto started to nod before the movement send him reeling with a pained gasp, both hands flying to grip his head as he was struck by a sudden bout of dizziness. ''Prompto?'' Noctis asked, worried as he leaned over to his friend who was starting to look pale and a bit green around the edges, ''I think you'd better stop the car Ignis. I don't think the food agreed with Prompto after all.'' Gladio turned around, carefully gauging the way Prompto looked then said, ''I think its starting Ignis.'' Ignis had slowed down and entered the parking lot of a now closed store as soon as Noct had started talking; parking the car he nodded at Gladio's comment. ''Starting? What is?'' demanded Noctis, now holding Prompto by the shoulders and making him lean on the prince's chest, he looked between his Shield and Adviser with worried and confused eyes.

Ignis got out of the car, opening the rear door closest to Prompto before answering his prince, ''The mixing of magic into Prompto's body. It's about time for your magic to show up and unfortunately the initial mixing of magic can be rather unpleasant.'' Gladio shifted in his seat so he could keep an eye on everyone, Ignis reaching out to gently pry Prompto off Noctis and helping him scoot over until he was half out of the car. Prompto was taking deep fast breaths by now, his body felt like it was burning from the inside and he felt sick, like really major stay in bed for a week sick. He was dimly aware of Noctis pulling him close then his friends talking but the buzzing in his ears and the white film of something over his eyes made concentrating on anything past trying not to throw up in the Royal Family's very expensive car nearly impossible. Prompto allowed himself to be moved until he felt his feet touch the ground, fresh air from a soft breeze made a sharp contrast with how he was feeling as he ended up clutching Ignis's shoulder in pain moments before starting to throw up. Ignis knelt just off to the side of Prompto in case he threw up, trying to keep the anxiety prone young man from panicking, ''It's going to be ok Prompto, I just need you to look at me.'' His words didn't seem to reach Prompto as the teen gripping his shoulder hard enough to make the adviser wince then shift out of the way as Prompto started vomiting.

At first, Ignis simply sighed and reached out to rub Prompto's arm in hopes of giving the sick teen some comfort, seeing Noctis do the same, as the evening's meal resurfaced and landed on the gravel ground. Gladio was reaching into the console in search of a water bottle or something similar he could give Prompto when he heard Ignis start swearing and Noctis shout frantically; he turned around to stare in worried confusion but couldn't see what seemed to be making Ignis and Noctis panic so much. It wasn't until Prompto leaned forward to vomit once again and the movement allowed Gladio to see his face. ''What the hell! Ignis what's wrong with Prompto?'' the shield asked, grabbing the prince by the back of his neck and pulling him away from Prompto. Prompto was bent over, throwing up once more but this time the only thing that came out of his mouth was thick black bile of some sort. Prompto sight blurred, his mind only picking up on the wrongness that was coming out of him, he didn't notice when the same black bile started leaking from his eyes and nose nor when his veins started pulsing black against his pale skin.

Perhaps it was a small mercy that Prompto never saw the look of utter terror that appeared for a brief few seconds in Ignis' eyes before he could manage to reign it in and concentrate on what he needed to do, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Gladio pulling and keeping Noctis away from Prompto thankful for the Shield's intervention. A hand fumbled into his trouser, quickly locating his cellphone and pressing one of his pre-programmed shortcuts, the other hand staying on Prompto's arm despite the overwhelming urge to get away from the increasing amount of black liquid streaming from Prompto's face. The phone rang a few times before a voice answered, ''Hello Ignis.'' Ignis sighed in relief, keeping an eye on an increasingly pale and trembling Prompto, before speaking quickly and precisely, ''Lady Lunafreya, I apologize for calling like this but something is wrong with Prompto. We're in the parking lot of the Kalm Keep. How fast can you get here?'' Luna's voice was filled with worry as she answered, ''Ravus can drive me there in ten minutes, whats wrong with Prompto?'' Ignis could hear the older Nox Fleuret moving around and whispered words but he kept his mind concentrated on his young friend.

Gladio kept a tight grip on Noctis despite the Prince's attempts to fight his Shield off and return to Prompto's side, he had seen that black bile before one of the few times he had gone outside the Wall as Lady Lunafreya's guard to heal some scourge plague victim who didn't react to the cure. That black bile was exactly the same as what the Oracle would end up vomiting after healing a certain amount of patients (it had only happened once, an outbreak of the Scourge at Hammerhead that only half responded to the cure due to an odd mutation and Gladio had never wanted to see it happen again). He growled at Noctis, ''Stop it, I want to help Prompto as much as you but that is the star scourge! If either of us get infected, who knows what will happen! Let Ignis handle Prompto for now. We need to make sure no one gets close to here.'' Noctis hesitated, worried and afraid for Prompto but he knew Gladio wouldn't lie to him and there wasn't any secret about Prompto having the Scourge in the first place. With extreme reluctance, Noct nodded and stopped fighting Gladio as the larger man pushed him out of the car before joining him there.

Ignis took a deep breath and started telling the Oracle exactly what he was seeing in Prompto's symptoms, ''He started feeling sick while we were heading back to the Citadel. We thought that it might just be the adjustment from Nocti's magical bond but he started throwing up black bile. Right now his eyes and nose are also dripping the same black liquid, his skin is very pale and his veins are pulsing black against it. He seems unresponsive at the moment.'' He was trying very hard not to let his worry and fear prevent him from doing what he could to help Prompto. ''What about his eyes? What colors are they?'' Lady Lunafreya asked is a hurried tone. Ignis let go of Prompto arm to reach and gently moved Prompto's face so he could see his eyes, ''His pupils are completely black and the sclera is starting to turn black around the edges.'' He replied.

''Alright, I should make it in time but in case I don't…. You might need to restrain him until I do. Please be careful Ignis.'' Declared Lunafreya before she hung up. Ignis forced himself to ignore the black liquid that seemed to crawl over his gloves, wanting to keep an eye on the progression of the blackness that was taking over Prompto's bright eyes and making them look dull and lifeless. He glanced past the teen to try and check on Noctis and Gladio, giving a small sigh of relief to see them both on the other side of the car and untouched by what was most likely Prompto's scourge. He raised his voice enough to be heard, ''Lady Lunafreya is on her way, she should be here shortly but has asked that we prepare to restrain Prompto should it be needed.'' Noctis turned abruptly, a protest at his lips but Gladio simply laid a hand on the Prince's shoulder before nodding towards the adviser, ''Got it. What's the plan Specs?'' Noctis bit his lip, trembling in frustration, he wanted to help Prompto! He couldn't just stand by and watch his best friend suffer without at least trying to do something and yet, here he was powerless to help Prompto in any way! What kind of prince did that make him?

Prompto was overwhelmed, his mouth tasted nothing but vile and his ears were filled with the buzzing sounds of bees, or maybe wasps? Prompto couldn't say, he couldn't even hear what Ignis was saying or at least... he thought it was Ignis' hand on his arm. His mind was so disorganized, the sensation of Something crawling through his veins, through his body, burning and ripping it apart was too much for it to understand. It felt like his body was at war with itself, the burning sensation coiling around something different but so much more familiar to the teen. Prompto closed his eyes tightly, biting his lips until he bleed (was he bleeding? He couldn't tell anymore.) to contain the screams of pains that were trying to make its way out. A hand gently took his chin and Prompto opened his eyes, the sight blurry and surprisingly discolored which made recognizing who was in front of him impossible. There was movement, small but there under his skin, crawling through his blood and Prompto blinks once and everything changes.

One moment his body is fighting, burning hot and cold and he feels sicker then sick; the next nothing. Prompto blinks again, takes a deep breath and when nothing happens, he straightens up. He feels… different somehow, not bad different though just different. His body is oddly silent, he can breathe and feels the motion of his chest moving up and down but he can't hear the sound of the air moving. He is feeling fine so his heart should be beating normally and yet… he can't hear it beating, the steady always present thumb of his pulse and blood pushed by muscle through his body. He is alive and yet not.

Prompto looks down to where the figure had been kneeling and sees _Blue,_ it was blue veins running through the shape of a man and nothing else. Blue threads of light, so beautiful and pure threading around nothingness, that ran through the bleak colorless world he was seeing. A sharp motion and an explosion of blue light, overwhelmingly everywhere for a moment before it forms into the shape of a dagger of pure blue light for a brief moment before only the outline of the weapon remained. The blue veins of light moved, stepping away from Prompto and the dagger outline shifted to something Prompto (Was he Prompto?) recognize as a defensive stance. Explosions of light similar to the ones he just saw brought his attention away from whatever was in front of him and Prompto was suddenly aware of two other figures made of emptiness and blue lights, standing behind him and one of them now holding a large blue outline of a sword.

Prompto was curious, one of the two figures had more detail then the other, the shape of a human face (I know him…) and a pulsing center of brilliance, so bright Prompto couldn't look at it. As he averted his eyes from the too bright-too colorful thing, he looked down at himself and saw himself as though for the first time. Two hands covered in liquid light, pulsing as though alive, moved as Prompto thought about moving them. Arms made of grey something, a drop of light showing here and there. Legs that were covered in something that blocked the grey light he knew he should be seeing. On the ground was a bright spot of pulsing energy, it seemed to call to him. The whispers of its existence ran through Prompto's mind and he reached out to it as well, ''Show me what you are…'' The whispered words sounded strange, muted and warped as though coming from behind a thick wall. (The Wall!) The pulsing changed, first slowing down then speeding up until the thing became a shape that Prompto could recognize, a cat.

Prompto extended his hand toward the energy cat, feeling its soft and sticky fur beneath his fingers with almost reference. The touch allowing Prompto to hear it think, _Food, must eat, food, blood…_ The simple words became a refrain in Prompto's mind. The words seemed right in his mind (Nope! Nope nope nope nope) and he felt a hunger he hadn't noticed before spark to life in his chest. He's hungry now and he wants to eat. Prompto pushed himself up to his feet, disregarding the three shapes of blue veins that surrounded him, bending down to pick the cat up into his arms comfortably before he started walking in a random direction. He was hungry but didn't know what he wanted, he was hungry and no one was going to stop him from eating. The moving blue things tried to stand in his way, the largest of them extending one of its veins towards him and Prompto simply reached out and _pushed_ with the energy thrumming in him. The thing went flying sideways, hitting the ground and lying motionless on the emptiness that Prompto recognized as ground. Something shone above him and his thoughts became scattering and disorganized as he tried to understand the mesh of blue light dancing across the empty sky above him.

Prompto forgot his hunger as he watched the thread of pure blue light dance on the heavens, ever changing and ever moving. One moment he thought he could recognize words or forms only to have them disappear the next. The cat in his arms hissed at him, jumping out to hit the ground and charge towards the motionless blue thing only to come to an abrupt halt when Prompto mindlessly gave it a command, ''Stop.'' It froze in place, one paw raised in the air, motionless only for a second before something interrupted its energy and it shattered into brilliant pieces of light floating in the air. Prompto dropped down, sitting cross legged as he lost track of everything except the beauty of the lights playing around him, only moving when the energy from the broken down cat expanded in the air and started blocking his view of the beauty above him. A gesture and the energy shrunk and moved to nestle itself on then in Prompto's chest, giving the teen a sense of relief and the hunger in him, dismissed but still present until now, became appeased.

He was so transfixed by the moving lights; he only realized something had moved beside him when cold hands were felt on his skin. Prompto turned his head slightly to see what was going on and found himself looking into a shimmering human shape, its shape constant but the surface of which shimmered and moving ever so slightly. It was colorless and yet held all of the colors at once too, the hand shaped light moving slowly from his upper arm to touch his face, leaving behind a trail of cold that burnt and pink color (skin, his skin was pale but pink) that grow starting from where the coldness had touched. A second then a third point of coldness emerged from the emptiness around them, and Prompto couldn't move. He heard something, a faint sound emerging through the silence around him, flirting in and out of his consciousness until he blinked (he hadn't blinked since that first time?) and Prompto gasped, suddenly hearing and feeling and seeing!

Luna smiled at Prompto gently, whispering ''That's it Prompto, come back to us. Concentrate on me. You're ok now.'' Prompto shudders, eyes wild and looking around frantically, seeing Ignis standing in front and holding back Noctis, seeing Ravus kneeling down to help support Gladio, who was bleeding from various cuts and scrapes. He heard Noctis calling his name in distress but didn't understand why he was doing so. Prompto saw the vivid colors under the parking lights that he hadn't really realized had disappeared for a short while. Luna leaned back carefully, the light of her magic fading back into her skin as she surveyed the young teen with worry and curiosity. ''Prompto?'' She called out carefully, bringing the boy to concentrate on her.

Prompto does so, blinking several times as an image is overlaid over Luna's form for a moment before disappearing. She smiled at him and asked, ''How are you feeling?'' Prompto looked down at his hands before answering hesitantly, ''Ok? I think? I don't know really…'' He sees Ignis and Noctis moving closer but still keeping their distance hesitantly, ''What happened? What did I do?'' Prompto asked, his voice starting to get frantic towards the end as he tried to understand the strange memories that he had of the last… what had it been? Minutes? Hours? He frowned, feeling a sense of complete disconnection to what had happened for however long it had lasted. Luna shook her head and answered him just as softly, ''I'm sorry but I have no answers for you at the moment. My best guess is that somehow Noctis' magic caused some kind of mutation when it started to mix with your body causing the Scourge to go out of control.''

Prompto stared in horror at the Oracle before looking at Gladio who was leaning heavily on Ravus as he walked closer, ''I… I did that? I hurt Gladio?'' whispered Prompto horrified. He looked down at his hands, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he had hurt Gladio when Noctis ran pass Ignis and wrapped Prompto into a tight hug while saying, ''No! It wasn't your fault Prompto! Please don't! Don't do that to yourself. If it's anyone's fault it's mine! I should have thought about it before giving you my magic! I should have been able to stop it from happening!'' Prompto shook his head trying to find the words to deny what Noctis was saying but not finding them as his mind was still reeling from the last few minutes.

It took a while before they were able to calm everyone down, Ignis summoning a potion for Gladio to use. By the time both younger teens were no longer freaking out and trying to take the blame for what had happened, Luna had talked with Gentiana about what had happened to Prompto. In the end, it seemed as though Luna's initial hypothesis was most likely correct. Prompto could now feel Noctis' magic, thrumming low in his chest, and he could also sense Something existing at the back of his mind. Thankfully that Something seemed to be quiet and Prompto didn't have any trouble ignoring it presence in favor of concentrating on Noct's heartbeat and the warmth of Ravus pressed beside him. ''Can you guys… not tell anyone about this?'' Prompto finally asked drawing everyone attention. Ignis frowned, ''That would be unwise Prompto. This is a very disconcerting change in your health, at the very least you need to advise your mother about this.'' Prompto shook his head, ''No! Please! Luna said I was ok right?'' Prompto pleaded, looking over to Luna for help.

Luna was also frowning but nodded, ''Yes, as far as I can see this sudden change shouldn't happen again. It happened because Noctis' magic caused the mutation but your body seemed to have once again adapted to it and is keeping it under control.'' Prompto gave her a trembling smile then returned to look at Ignis, ''Please Ignis! Mom and Dad have enough to worry about; I don't want them to have to worry even more. Please!'' Ignis shifted uneasily, looking at Gladio for support, the Shield simply shrugging, then at Ravus who seemed to be of like mind with the adviser. Ravus was looking down at Prompto who was leaning heavily and looked exhausted and too pale against Noctis' chest, ''I don't think hiding it from your parents is wise Prompto. Aunt Sylva is best suited to deal with this sudden change in the Scourge within your body. It would be best to let her know.'' Prompto started getting teary eyed, looking between Ignis and Ravus in desperation, ''Then can we at least wait a bit before saying anything? Luna said it wasn't going to happen again! I promise, if I feel sick again I'll tell mom myself but…Please?'' whimpered Prompto, half hiding his face on Noct's chest. Ravus tensed up, sharing a look with Ignis before both men sighed, admitting they couldn't deny the blond teen anything when he was like that. Ignis turned to Prompto and sternly told him, ''Very well but you must promise us you will speak with your parents should you feel ill again.'' Prompto jerked up, smiling through the few tears he had shed and promising to do just that. Gladio and Luna grinned at each other, hiding a smile behind their hands as they watched the usually stern duo be unable to go against Prompto's teary eyes, it wasn't the first time that they had witness others fail to resist the blond's expressions. With the details settled, the four guys returned to the Citadel and the Nox Fleuret sibling returned to Ravus' new home to spend the evening quietly resting.

A/N: Sclera is the white part of the eye when seen from the front.

So here is a bit of Lore about Daemon-Prompto:

-Daemon-Prompto was created when Noctis' magic mixed with Prompto's mutated Starscourge, causing it to mutate a second time and suddenly grow exponentially leading to his body trying to fight the sudden increase in Scourge.

\- Prompto in daemon form looks like himself except his skin is pure white, his eyes completely black and his major veins and artery pulsing visibly through his skin. There are also two streaks of black like tear streaks across his cheeks.

\- His body adapted quickly to the second mutation by using Noctis' magic as source for his body to change and fight back.

-As a daemon, Prompto feeds on the starscourge itself instead of blood/life but it does come with severe draw backs. If he 'eats' too much then he becomes infected by the extra scourge and could potentially permanently become a daemon. He can also manipulate the Scourge to some minor degree.

\- He can also use what he eats to heal himself to some extent or to get extra magic to share among those tied to Noctis. Aka he is now a mini back up magic generator for the Chocobros.


	24. Emergency Camping

A/N: Prompto and Noctis are 12. This is a gift/ prompt fill for Websky from FF.

The trip hadn't really been planned; it was much more of a spurt of the moment thing that brought Cor to grab Prompto and Noctis before hightailing it out of the Citadel. King Regis was being overprotective since Cor had been found half dead in Taelpar Crag and the Marshall had barely been allowed out of the Citadel since. Cor brought his forehead to rest on the steering wheel of the car muttering, ''They're going to kill me.'' Cor cast a look at the back seat and smiled as he saw both boys comfortably sitting and playing on their phones.

Prompto looked up and meet his Uncle's gaze with a smile, asking, ''Where are we going Uncle?'' Noctis looked up at the question and waited impatiently for an answer, he had no idea why Cor had suddenly appeared in the garden, looking for Prompto but more than willing to let Noctis come along. Cor turned around to look at them properly before he answered, ''No clue. Any suggestions?'' Prompto perked up and shouted, ''The Chocobo ranch!'' Noctis giggled at Prompto's suggestion, he knew Prom was going to say that. Noctis hummed and then suggested, ''Can we go fishing? Ignis said they just put in some new kind of fish in Queens Park's lakes.''

Cor mulled over both of the boys suggestion, thinking about what he had in his trunk and how low he could get away with kidnapping Noctis and Prompto without getting into too much trouble before making up his mind. ''Queens Park it is then.'' Declared Cor then he added quickly when he noticed Prompto looking disappointed, ''We'll rent some chocobos there!'' Cor sighed in relief when Prompto perked right back up with a shout of joy and he dutifully ignored the all too knowing look Noctis sent his way.

The drive up to Queens Park was over an hour long, the last of the natural green space within the Limits of Insomnia was at the very edge of the north-eastern district, almost at the opposite side of where the Citadel had been built. The green forested area had been declared untouchable by the 73rd monarch of Lucis, the Guardian Queen Naturamana, and had since been used as a conservatory for endangered species as well as a nature reserve.

The Park seemed divided in two if viewed from the top, the section nearest to the entrance had been converted into a spa, hotel and day trip area for those who wished to spend time surrounded by nature without losing the comforts of technology. The second area composed about 90% of the park itself, an area where there was no phone service and people could enjoy nature without worrying about being distracted by phone calls.

Cor parked the car beside the entrance, shepherding both boys into the information center for the park and paying the entrance fee for all three of them, Cor added the rental fee for a pair of chocobos for two days to the sum. He turned to the boys, smiling and chatting excitedly to one another and told them, ''Alright, I'll go grab our chocobos so why don't you both start grabbing what you need from the car? I'll meet you there soon.'' Prompto and Noctis nodded, both running back to the car to grab the few things they had brought with them in the sudden rush to leave the Citadel.

Cor sighed, watching them play around for a bit before he followed the park attendant to receive the chocobos he had just rented. Both of the yellow feathered beast had a calm and peaceful look to them, ''These are Nala and Kory, both are very calm and are safe for your sons to ride without worry.'' Informed the attendant as she handed the reigns over to Cor, who hid a sigh at the comment about Noctis and Prompto being his sons, and thanked the attendant for her thoughtfulness. (Not that he minded really, it was just odd…) With the birds in tow, Cor returned to the car and helped Prompto then Noctis take out the quickly packed bag of clothes and toiletry, the fishing gear for Noctis and Prompto's camera bag. He made sure to secure all of those things on Nala before hoisting both boys up unto the calm bird. Noctis interrupting Cor as the Marshall was about to climb on Kory, ''What about your things?'' the prince asked innocently with a smirk.

Cor swore under his breath, he couldn't believe how careless and scattered he was right now. He handed Prompto the reigns with a stern warning, ''Don't move.'' Before he walked over to the car, still unlocked, to quickly find his gym bag, it had the basics needed for an overnight stay but little else. He shuffled through it to double check what was in it and stopped moving when he noticed the half-forgotten phone he had chucked in it after the horrible training session with Clarus that morning. It was light with several unanswered messages and calls from Regis and Clarus. He even saw Ventus' name beside one of the notifications.

Behind Cor, Prompto and Noctis leaned closer to each other having a whispered conversation. ''Do you think he's ok?'' Asked Prompto, staring at his uncle's back with worry. Noctis shrugged, answering, ''I don't know. Dad's been asking about him a lot, always wanting to know where he is all the time. Even Clarus has been keeping an eye on him since he came back from his mission.'' Prompto bit his lips, a hand going to fiddle with the leather band there, a nervous habit he had yet to lose since learning what the tattoo on his wrist meant. Noctis shifted carefully on Nala's back, giving Prompto a one-armed hug and saying, ''It's going to be ok. We're here with him right? So let's try to cheer him up!'' Prompto nodded, his eyes filled with determination; he would help his uncle cheer up no matter what!

Cor stared at his phone, uncertain what he should do with it. He didn't want to cause an uproar when Noctis and Prompto are discovered to be missing from the Citadel but if he tried to call anyone… His phone vibrates in his hand, snapping Cor out of his muddled thoughts and the soldier quickly checked the name, stressed out at the thought that it might be his king. When he read the name flashing up to him, Lance Argentum, Cor almost collapsed in relief, thumbing the screen to accept the call, ''Yes?''

''Hello Cor, I hope I'm not bothering you but I was wondering if you might know why His Majesty is acting like a headless chicken?'' Lance sounds amused as he speaks with Cor. The soldier stays silent for a few moments before answering, ''Probably because I took Noctis and Prompto out without telling anyone. Sorry.'' Lance hums through the phone and tells Cor, ''I don't think he has noticed Noctis' absence just yet though he might soon. I believe he is rather worried about you. As for spending some time with Prompto, I trust you to take care of him. A note would be appreciated next time but otherwise I see no harm in spending time with your nephew.'' Cor huffed, leaning on the car heavily and he is beyond thankful when Lance speaks again, ''I'll make sure you aren't disturbed until tomorrow evening. In return, I expect you to come eat with us in the evening. Is that alright with you?'' Cor nods then remembers to actually speak, ''That would be perfect Lance. Thank you.'' Lance chuckles then bids the man a good day before hanging up.

Cor felt some of his tension disappear, the knowledge that Lance would help keep everyone calm at the Citadel meant that Cor could relax and actually start enjoying the sunshine and company. Grabbing his bag, Cor finally made his way back to the boys, locking the car behind him before securing his pack to his own chocobo. ''Well, did I forget something else?'' Cor asked playfully at Noctis who shook his head before saying, ''Nope! Now let's go! We have to go fish now!'' Prompto grinned, nodding front his seat in front of Noct before adding, '' We have to find a good place to camp too!'' Cor smiled and allowed himself to chuckle at their energetic demands, jumping up to get into the saddle with a steady, ''As you command, my lords.'' He gathered the reigns of both birds and started into the forest, following the path laid down by previous riders.

It didn't take too long until the trio arrived beside one of the few fishing lake set across the Park, it was fairly empty and Noctis was just dying to start fishing already. Cor smiled indulgently as he guided the chocobos to the designated camping ground before allowing both children to get off the bird and start exploring. Noctis grabbed his fishing rod and Prompto's hand then proceeded to drag both to the lake so he could fish. Cor watched them go, feeling the last of his tension drain away at the sight. It was always relaxing to see Prompto and Noctis enjoying themselves whether it was in the middle of a Park fishing or playing around in the Citadel.

Cor turned back to the chocobos and stilled staring at the almost empty back of their rented birds in shock them embarrassment. They had no camping equipment! Cor groaned and facepalmed at his own stupidity. He had been so eager to get away from his overbearing friends to even consider what to do for shelter overnight and now… Cor looked over to see Noctis on his feet, reeling something in from the lake with Prompto encouraging him and taking pictures of the prince. _At least they're having fun_ , thought Cor in exasperation. ''Now what?'' the Soldier muttered to himself. It didn't bother him, he had slept in the open before in all kinds of weather but he didn't want to risk getting either of the boys sick because of his own carelessness.

A voice called out to Cor, ''You looked troubled, what's the trouble mate?'' Cor looked up from the ground in surprise, seeing two adults, one of which was holding a toddler, approach with their own Chocobo in tow. Cor shuffled uneasily, glancing over to where Noctis and Prompto were hauling out the prince's first catch of the day, before responding to the visitors, ''I'm embarrassed to admit but I seem to have forgotten to bring what we needed to spend the night here. This was a bit of a last minute trip.'' He waved a hand in the air, knowing he was blushing slightly as he admitted to his troubles.

One of the adults chuckled softly and offered, ''Unusual but not deadly if you're willing to accept help?'' Cor nodded, he could at least hear them out before deciding on what to do. The person shifted their toddler then said, ''My idiot husband over there bought a tent without actually looking at what it was. Turns out its one of those jumbo tents with like 3 separate but joined rooms that can fit close to 10 people, unfortunately neither of us are good with actually building those kinds of things. So if you could help us put it up properly I see no problem in sharing the space we have.'' Cor looked at them both with a small grin, thought for a moment then nodded, ''Let me take a look at it and I'll see what I can do. I'm Cor, the two boys over there are with me.'' He motioned over to the lake, Prompto spotting the movement and waving back with a beaming smile.

The person holding the toddler smiled brightly and introduced themselves, ''I'm Alex, my husband there is Christopher and this little one is our child, Sasha.'' Christopher smiled then motioned to Cor as he said, ''We have it here if you'd like to keep your spot. It doesn't make a difference for us.'' Cor moved over and with Christopher's help, quickly found the boxed tent. Cor stared at the name then started laughing, waving off the concerned and confused looks of their new site companions, the name written on the box was Coleman's Signature Prairie Breeze. He explained once he calmed down, ''One of my coworkers swears by the Coleman brand. I wasn't expecting to see it out here, that's all.''

It didn't take long between Christopher and Cor to set up the 9-person tent, Alex using that time to start a fire and set up their portable grill. Cor kept an eye out on both boys, still playing by the lake, throughout building the tent. As soon as he finished setting it up, Cor walked over to them and asked, ''How's the fishing going?'' kneeling down beside Noctis. Noctis was frowning in intense concentration, eyes fixed on where his lure bobbed slowly in the still water, it was Prompto who answered for the prince, ''Noct caught 2 fishes already! But he said they weren't edible and threw them back in the lake.'' Prompto dropped down by his Uncle, bringing his camera up to show the picture of Noct with his catches on its screen.

He smiles as Prompto explains all the pictures he's taken since their arrival at the park, a hand making its way to pat Prompto gently on the hand, before Cor speaks, ''So I might have not thought things through when I brought you over here.'' The admission is whispered and catches the attention of Prompto, who looks up from his camera, and Noctis, who reels his lure back in and doesn't recast. Cor cards a hand through his short hair and continues talking, '' I didn't think to bring a tent or anything needed to stay the night here. '' Prompto frowned then looks over Cor's shoulder to where he could see a tent set up even if there was some other people sitting around it too, Noctis doing to same but asking , ''What about that one?''

Cor explained, ''I was getting to that. The couple over there are Alex and Christopher, they bought a really big tent and didn't know how to set it up. They offered to let us share it with them if I helped them put it up. If it bothers either of you let me know and we'll figure something out.'' Prompto and Noctis glanced at each other before Noctis says, ''I don't mind. You'll be with us right? So it doesn't really matter.'' Prompto nods along as Noct talks, in complete agreement with his friend. Cor sighs in relief and smiles at them, ''Thank you.'' The Marshall whispers to them, getting a smile back and a hug from Prompto. Cor stays where he is, only moving to make himself more comfortable on the grass, while Noctis recasts and Prompto continues from where he left off.

That night's supper is a mix of food from their camping companions and the few salmons Noctis had managed to fish from the lake. Alex had taken over cooking their food, shooing everyone to the other side of the fire while they prepared the fish, explaining each steps to a fascinated Prompto and Noctis when they had noticed the interest. Fresh herbs were sprinkled over the white flesh before it was enveloped by metallic foil and placed carefully at the edge of the fire to cook. Corn on the cob placed in boiling water to cook, Cor laughing as Prompto took a picture of Noctis' look of disgust at the idea of eating veggies.

Christopher even allowed Prompto to help Sasha walk around their camp with a toddler's slow and unsteady steps, Cor turning the tide on the blond boy by taking several picture of him with the small child. The food was ready before long, everyone enjoying the freshly prepared food (even Noctis took a few bites out of his corn cob) and the night air brought a sense of relaxation for everyone. Eventually it was time to retire for the night, Cor watching over as Prompto and Noctis went about getting ready. He hadn't stopped smiling since watching Prompto push Noctis into the lake earlier, the prince retaliating without hesitation and leading to quite the water fight between the two boys. Cor had ended up being dragged into it when Noct and Prompto shared a knowing glance and started working together to go after Cor.

Prompto hugged his Uncle, ''Thanks Uncle! This was so much fun!'' Cor chuckled, patting his nephew fondly on the head and then motioning for Noct to join in the hug. It didn't take long for the trio to make themselves comfortable, Cor acting as a pillow for both boys. Prompto snuggled up to his uncle's left side while Noctis claimed his right, Cor finding himself smiling fondly as he watched over them as they slowly fell asleep after spending the bigger part of the day playing around. Cor was no exception, finding his eyes getting heavier with sleep until he finally allowed himself to slip into it, his arms wrapped around some of his greatest treasures and heart filled with peaceful contentment. He could face Regis and Clarus' worries tomorrow, for now, Carbuncle's realm was waiting.

A/N: Alex is nonbinary btw. Sorry for the rushed ending, I didn't know how to end it properly so it turned up like this. Thank you for all the reviews! They make my day :)


	25. Ravus' Fear 1

A/N: Two things:

1\. I posted the new part of the Cure Au series :) It's time to start the game story and plot. Hope you enjoy it!

2\. The timeline is about 2 years after the rescue of Ravus and Luna. Luna just turned 16.

Lance grunted as he was thrown against the cold floor, the sound of a heavy metal door closing echoed through the empty space he found himself in. The man shifted uneasily with both hands bound together behind his back until he was sitting upright. A firm tug on the restraints confirmed what Lanced already knew, there was little chance of him getting out of them without help.

Lance sighed, muttering, ''Well, at least he isnt alone here so we've avoid the worst case scenario.'' Lance looked over to where he could see Ravus, unconscious a few meters away from him. Shifting from sitting to standing took a bit of work, _I'm getting old…_ , but he managed make his way to Ravus, dropping down beside him. A quick look revealed no obvious injuries on the young man and he seemed to be resting peacefully for the moment.

\- several hours earlier-

''I don't care what you think! You aren't leaving Insomnia! I forbid it Luna!'' Screamed Ravus as he slammed his hands on the table. Luna was standing on the other side, her arms crossed and with a determined expression on her face, she scowled at her brother while ignoring the two other people in the room.

''I don't care what you think! I'm the Oracle! I can't keep hiding away from everything when people need my help! Sylva's cure isn't enough!'' Declared Luna, she turned around to look at King Regis and told the man, ''I accept, your majesty. Please allow me to go on tour of your lands to treat anyone who requires my help.'' Regis looked between Luna and Ravus, a worried look clear to anyone looking.

Ravus reached out, grabbing Luna by the arm and forcing her to turn back and look at him. ''You will not! It's too dangerous and you're much too young to do anything. You aren't Mother!'' Ravus tried to drag Luna closer to him, his anger hiding the fear he held at the idea of Luna going anywhere outside of the Citadel, much less the Crown City itself.

Regis moved to interfere, ''Ravus…'' but was cut off by Luna who forced her brother to let go of her arm with a jerk and took several steps away from him. ''You… You idiot! Of course I'm not Mother! She's dead!'' Luna ignored the tears that started to fall in order to keep yelling at her brother, ''That's why I'm the Oracle! That's why I have to do this!'' Luna could feel Umbra and Pryna press up against her legs as they tried to provide her with some amount of comfort as she stood facing off with Ravus.

Ravus clenched his jaw, he wanted to grab Luna and shake some sense into her. Why couldn't she see how dangerous leaving the city was? Niflheim might have drawn back to concentrate on internal matters but they still had spies and assassins everywhere to keep track of Lucian affairs. Going out, even with a Kingsglaive escort was just too dangerous! Yet Ravus couldn't find the words to express himself, the anger and fear chocking him and he found himself turning around to leave the room as quickly as was possible.

Ravus ignored the shouts from his sister and the king, his mind showing him the last moments of his mother's life but instead it was Luna dying while he couldn't do anything to help, like he couldn't do anything to save his mother. He doesn't want to be seen or to interact with anyone so he disappears into the smaller halls Prompto had shown him, the ones that were rarely used by the staff.

Ravus made his way out of the inner Citadel, through the more public areas until he slipped unnoticed through the old servant's gate and into the city itself. He struggled to made sense of what his mind kept telling him, that keeping Luna close was the only way to protect her but he knew by now that those thoughts weren't quite his own. Ravus loses track of time, of where he is and for a dangerous amount of time, who he is until he wakes up from whatever that was and find himself lost among the ever winding streets of the Crown City.

Lance sighed as he looked at Ravus walking out from the room. His majesty was standing and reaching out to Luna, still crying as she watched her brother walk away from their argument, ''Are you alright Lunafreya?'' asked the king kindly. Luna nods, trying to brush away her tears to no avail even as she looks up at the king, ''Ravus… he…'' she stops, hiccuping as she is swept into a hug from Regis.

Lance steps over calmly, reaching out to rub the young woman's back, ''I will go after him if you are alright with remaining with his majesty until we return.'' Lance feels more than sees Luna's answering nod and offers his king a bow. The man under the crown mouthing a quick thank you as Lance starts to leave the room. Lance smiles back and is only somewhat surprised when Umbra peels away from the young princess in order to trot after him.

Lance left the room, closing the door behind him, and followed the guidance of the Crownguards guarding the halls. Soon enough though, no one had seen Ravus pass by neither the staff nor the guards could point Lance in the right direction. Lance looked down wryly at Umbra, sitting patiently by his feet and he asked, ''Any chance you can bring me to Ravus?'' Umbra gave a doggish grin, barked once and started making his way into the lesser used corridors of the Citadel.

Lance smiled as he followed after the young dog through the forgotten corridors and then into the city. Lance took out his phone as he stepped out of the Citadel, ''Clarus? I wanted to let you know that Ravus has gone into the city without an escort. There was a bit of an argument between him and Luna. I'll go after him with Umbra and let you know when I find him.'' Lance spoke quickly as he left the message before jogging to catch up to Umbra.

Umbra seemed to know exactly where to go, their path twisting through the streets and deeper into Insomnia's crowded inner sections. Lance frowned; Ravus had not spent a lot of time outside of the Citadel since his arrival over a year and a half ago. The young man still struggled to trust people and had even more trouble being surrounded by strangers; Lance hoped he would find Ravus before something happened.

Ravus bit his lip as he pushed his back against the store wall. Everywhere around him, Ravus saw nothing but strangers and unknown faces, he could feel his breath quicken in his chest as panic gripped his mind. _Where am I? The Citadel! Where is it!_ Ravus twisted on himself one hand firmly on the wall as he tried to find a landmark or catch a glance of the Citadel but he found his view blocked by all the high-rise building made of steel and glass.

Someone bumped into him and Ravus staggered forward, losing his hold on the wall that helped keep him grounded. Ravus barely had time to catch his balance before someone else brushed past him with an annoyed glare. Ravus jumped back at the sensation of someone, a stranger, touching his arm. His breathing became more panicked, _Is it an assassin? Someone from Niflheim trying to capture us again?_

He had to get out! The press of the people moving around him was stifling, slowly choking him as more and more people brushed against him, pushing him, grabbing him… _No! No! Let me go!_ A chocked off sob escaped Ravus as he finally managed to duck into an empty side street. His skin felt like it was burning, pain throbbing through his scars as he curled up on himself against the wall.

He was pathetic. Ravus pressed his face into his arms, trying to get control of his breathing but failing as sobs continued to wrack through him. He couldn't even be touched by someone without falling into pieces! It was all his fault. If he hadn't frozen that day, Mother wouldn't have died. If he hadn't frozen then Luna could have escaped that day with Noctis and Regis!

''Maybe I should just disappear…'' Ravus whispered to himself. It wasn't like he was doing any good here. Luna was safe, she was a lot stronger than he was and she now had Regis and Noctis to help her. What good was a useless brother who couldn't do anything to help her? Ravus dug his nails into the skin of his arms, ignoring the pain, until he felt blood running down his arm.

Lance followed Umbra into a smaller street just off the main walking path of the shopping district; he could see the throngs of people moving around in the mid-morning sun and grew worried about Ravus. His thoughts were interrupted by a bark from Umbra, the first such sound since they had left the Citadel. Lance hurried up, moving up to stand beside Umbra who had stopped at the entrance of an even smaller street.

When he looked in it, he spotted the curled up figure of Ravus trembling slightly, he frowned when he saw some blood staining his arms. Lance called out softly, ''Ravus?'' waiting for the young man to answer him before he approached. Ravus tensed when he heard his name called, slowly lifting his head towards its source. Lance sighed softly as he saw the tears and lost look on Ravus, ''Can I come closer?''

Ravus tried to speak, his mouth opening then closing several time before he settled on a nod. Lance moved slowly, not wanting to make Ravus uncomfortable, before he knelt before the prince. Lance didn't say anything as he took in Ravus' appearance, ''Can I touch you? I want to take care of those scratches.''

Ravus lifted his arms from their position, looking at them as if only noticing the bleeding scratches he had but the idea of someone, even Lance touching him right now… ''No, I… Can't…'' Ravus whispered, folding his arms back on his knees. Lance nodded, ''Thank you for letting me know, Ravus. It's alright, you don't have to do anything you don't want to right now. Is it ok if I stay here beside you?''

Ravus nodded, letting his head fall back against his arms. He felt a lot better with Lance beside him but it wasn't enough to make him move. Instead he forced himself to concentrate on the sound of Lance breathing, the slow steady whoosh of air moving in and out in what Ravus was slowly realising to be the technics his therapist had taught him.

Lance waited patiently, shifting only a bit to be more comfortable kneeling on the hard floor. He looked back to where Umbra was sitting, motioning for the dog to approach and started petting him when he settled in beside Ravus.

By the time Ravus had calmed down, Umbra now sitting on his lap and being spoiled by the prince, it was nearing lunch and Lance had received several worried messages from Luna and the king. ''Sorry.'' Muttered Ravus when he noticed it, Lance shook his head and reassured the boy, ''I'm not the one you should apologize to. Are you feeling up to returning to the Citadel?'' Ravus nodded, shifting Umbra off his legs and slowly getting up, leaning heavily on the wall as he did so.

Lance got up as well, keeping a hand extended without touching Ravus in case he needed help, ''Should I call for a car?'' Lance proposed to Ravus who hesitated then nodded. Lance smiled, taking out his phone and calling Cor this time. Cor answered at the second ring tone, ''Hello Lance.''

''Hello Cor, I hope I'm not interrupting anything.'' Lance replied. ''Not at all, I heard about Ravus, is everything alright?'' Cor's voice was laced with worry and Lance was quick to reassure his friend, ''It is now, I was wondering if you could send someone to pick us up? We are in the back alley off the pathway for the shopping district.'' Lance heard papers being shuffled and the sound of a door opening before Cor replied, ''Can you get to the corner of Filia and Somnus? I have someone in the area who can pick you up there.''

Lance covered the mouthpiece of his phone and asked Ravus, ''Do you think you can walk a few blocks?'' Lance knew the street well and the two named by Cor were very far from their current position. Ravus nodded hesitantly, ''I think so.'' Lance uncovered the phone and replied to Cor, ''We should be able too, yes.'' Cor grunted, ''Then I'll send them over. They should get there soon and will wait until you arrive. ''

Lance hummed and hung up, turning to smile at Ravus who was looking pale but steadier then when he had first found the prince. ''Cor will have someone waiting for us at the corner of Filia and Somnus. There is no need to rush so let me know if you need to rest alright?'' Lance waited until Ravus nodded before he started walking through the narrow alleys, keeping an ear and occasional glance to ensure Ravus was doing alright.

It didnt take much time to arrive at their destinations, Lance stopping and waiting until Ravus joined up to him. Ravus stared at the crowd of people walking on the sidewalk with reluctance and a bit of unease, Lance caught the worry and hurried to try and reassure the young man, ''You dont have to leave the alley just yet. I don't see the crownguard car. If you'd like, you can wait here and I'll wait for them to arrive.''

Ravus nodded, shifting so he could lean against the cold brick and metal wall, Umbra sitting down beside the prince. He kept his eyes fixed on Lance's back, ignoring the sounds of people talking to each other as they moved around the city around him. Ravus gritted his teeth as he forced his breath to stay steady despite the increasing pressure he felt from his surroundings.

He heard Umbra suddenly shift at his feet and looked down. Something hooked around his neck and pulled, Ravus scrambling to try and breath or scream as his vision darkened. He could see Lance standing just out of reach, his hand falling uselessly to his side as Ravus passed out.

Lance walked up to the edge of the sidewalk, looking up and down the street as he tried to spot the car Cor had sent to pick them up. Ravus looked fragile and Lance wanted to make sure the boy got back to somewhere he considered safe and a few minutes of watching the street with no luck, Lance turned around to return to Ravus only to see the boy being thrown over someone's back carelessly.

He didnt hesitate, running after the them as they moved further into the alley. Lance couldn't see Umbra and hoped the dog was safe at least but his concern was Ravus. He was within arm's reach of the kidnapper when Lance had to duck forward to avoid the sudden attack from behind him. Out of the corner of his eyes he caught the reflection of light on a knife and swore mentally, it's been too long since his last fight.

''Dont move old man.'' A voice sneered from behind him, Lance glanced over and saw the man who had picked up Ravus standing a few feet away. Ravus' head was pulled back and a knife laid on the pale skin, a clear warning for Lance. Lance stayed as he was, keeping his hands loose and in plain sight. He felt the blow come and allowed his body to fall easily, the beginning of a concussion easily recognizable. His hands were wrenched behind his back and tied together.

-Present-

Lance shifted as close to Ravus as he could when he heard the sound of the door opening once more, several men entering with barely a glance at Ravus or Lance. Lance looked around at them, dismissing most of them as nothing more then followers unworthy of his attention. The two men who entered last, deep in discussion with each other were the ones he needed to worry about.

A camera was set up right in front of the two prisoners, then a short table was wheeled over and finally a single chair. ''It's a pity for you that that prince isn't awake but we do need to move quickly and send our message to the king on time. I suggest you co-operate.'' A dark haired man moved to stand before Lance, looking all to please with himself as he talked.

Lance didnt reply, simply looking at the man impassively. The retaliation was quick, one of the followers roared,''Answer him you cur!'' followed by a kick into Lance's ribs. He felt something give and bent in half, breathless. A hand grasped his hair and he was forcefully straightened, Lance kept his face just as impassive despite his breathlessness.

The dark haired man was angry now, his grip growing harder on his hair and Lance was forced to his feet by it and dragged over to the chair. His hands were released only long enough for them to be re-secured to the chair. Lance shifted his hands, probing the restraints and found them to be just slightly less tight then the previous ones. Another man, the one the dark haired leader had been talking too walked over to the table, taking something from it and then came to stand in front of Lance.

''Do it, nothing permanent just yet. We'll leave that for if the king decides to ignore us.'' The leader ordered, standing just off to the side of the camera. Lance took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he heard the tell-tale beep marking the beginning of a recording. He would have to find a way to get out of this quickly before things took a turn for the worst and they decided to turn to matter what happened to him, Lance would NOT allowed any harm to fall on Ravus.


	26. Ravus' Fear 2

Ravus groaned in pain as he slowly woke up, every heart beat sent waves of pain throbbing through his mind. _What happened?_ He is lying down on something too hard and cold to be his bed or a couch. A shiver goes through his body from the cold seeping slowly into him and from the sudden fear of his situation. He can smell blood now, lots of it from close by and Ravus has to force himself not to move or let a whimper out as he remembers the last few moments before he had passed out.

''Good, you woke up Ravus. Are you injured?'' The voice that called out to him is not the one he expected, Ravus slowly opens his eyes to find himself in a large empty space of some kind. ''Lance?'' Ravus calls out hesitantly, his voice trembling almost as much as his body. Ravus tugged at the ropes on his wrists as he rolled over to where Lance's voice came from. When the man came into sight, Ravus stared, shocked beyond words at the horrifying sight.

Lance meet Ravus' horrified look with a smile, ''I will be fine Ravus.'' He reassured before repeating his previous question, ''Are you alright?'' Ravus stared at Lance, at the bone sticking out from his shin, at the blood dripping steadily from torn fingernails, at the deep bruises showing on his bare chest, before he could think to meet the older man's eyes. ''F...Fi..fine? How are you going to be fine! Shit! Shit! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, if it wasn't for me…!'' Ravus closed his eyes, a sob escaping into the cold air.

Lance sighed carefully, feeling several of his ribs shift and rub unnaturally at the movement, ''Ravus, I will be fine. I need you to answer me, are you injured?'' He was quite worried about Ravus, he looked unharmed but he was trembling a lot and with how his day had been going, there was no way to know just how bad his mental state was and would be once back to safety.

Ravus struggled to get into a sitting position, shaking his head as he tried to calm his breathing. He couldn't do it. Every time Ravus tried to slow his breathing down, a sob broke through and sent him back into a heaving, trembling mess. He could barely make out Lance trying to comfort him over the harsh sound of his own breathing and heartbeat pounding in his ears. _I have to calm down! Cant… Cant... Have too! For his sake! Push everything away, you did it once you can do it again!_

Ravus berated himself mentally, trying to find a way to calm down, at least enough so he could try and find a way out of this situation. Lance needed to get to a doctor quickly before the blood lost became too great or his broken leg lead to permanent injury. It took a long time before he managed to stop crying, though he could do nothing about the growing cold or continuous trembling that racked his body. Ravus was surprised that they had been left alone for so long, not that he knew exactly how long he and Lance have been here. He only hopes it hasn't been too long, if only because the others would worry.

Ravus finally looked up to Lance, seeing for the first time how pale the man looked under the single light in the room. The puddle of blood under the chair had grown as well, the red liquid growing thick and dark around the edges. Ravus felt a wave of nausea at the sight but he clenched his teeth together and forced himself to look around for a way out of the situation.

''What… What happened? Who took us?'' He asked as he looked around. The room was reasonably large but empty of anything other than the light, the chair and a table left in a corner of the room. A single metallic door broke the cement walls and was the only way in or out of the room. Finding nothing that would help, Ravus returned to watching Lance with worried eyes.

Lance gave the young man a thin smile, he was glad to see him finally calm down a bit. ''I'm afraid I don't know who these men are, only that they wish to get his Majesty's attention.'' Lance took a shuddering breath; he felt every breath becoming just a bit harder to take then the previous one. If this continued then Lance would have to risk breaking out of the room without knowing where they were or how many people were in the building. ''I'm sorry I couldn't prevent this from happening. I should have stayed with you instead of walking away.'' Lance apologised.

Ravus frowned as he caught the way Lance's chest moved oddly with every breath and shook his head when Lance apologised. The words confirmed what Ravus had been afraid of, Lance was there because of him, because he had tried to help Ravus and once again Ravus' helplessness lead to someone he cared about being hurt. He pushed those thoughts away, this wasn't the time to mope Lance needed him.

-Citadel 1 hours ago-

Regis was standing in front of the window of his office, gritting his teeth as he waited for news about Ravus and Lance. Both men had disappeared after calling Cor for a car to return them home except… When the Crownguards had arrived, they found no one waiting for them and Lance hadn't answered when Cor had called back at the news. Lunafreya was beside herself in worry; blaming herself for Ravus walking out like he did and Regis had been unable to comfort her. He looked over to where Lunafreya was sitting curled up in a seat.

Someone knocked on the door, Regis turning to face it, ''Come in.'' The door opened, Cor stepping in followed by Clarus, both men wearing a blank expression on their face that could only mean trouble. ''What have you found?'' Regis demanded, looking between his friends.

Cor walked up to the desk, glancing over to Lunafreya with worry, and placed 2 objects on it. Regis took a deep breath at the sight. ''These were given to the gate guards by a young child, the child said a man gave it to him and asked him to bringing to the Citadel.'' Clarus said, moving to stand beside Cor, hands clasped tightly behind his back. ''We need to let Sylva know about this.'' He added, watching his king and friend as the man stared at the two objects glumly.

A dvd sat beside the ruins remains of the shirt Lance had been wearing earlier, a shirt stained with heavy blood stains and dirt. Luna gasped as she caught sight of the objects, quickly pressing both hands over her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing. Regis' heart broke at the sight and he moved over to tug her into a hug before turning to look at the men. ''I assume you looked at the contents of that dvd. Report.'' Regis kept his voice calm and even.

Cor closed his eyes for a brief moment before speaking, ''There is a video on there; it shows how the blood got unto Lance's shirt. They made no demands yet but warned that they would send them soon. Ravus doesn't appear in it, only Lance but they warned they had him as well.'' Clarus gritted his teeth as Cor's report brought back the memory of what had been on the disk, the bastards responsible for this would pay, dearly and painfully, once they were caught.

Regis tensed up at the news, ''I want all available Crownguards looking into this matter immediately! We must find them as soon as possible. Let me know the moment there is further news from the kidnappers.'' He looked down at Luna, who had started trembling in his arm. Pryna whining from her position on the floor, going up on the seat and trying to lick Luna's face. Regis tightened his hold on the girl, ''Dismissed. I'll tell Sylva myself. Please bring Lunafreya to her quarters or to Noctis'. ''

Lunafreya looked up at the king with teary eyes and he whispered, ''You need to rest and there is nothing you can do for the moment.'' Lunafreya nodded, wiping away her tears before getting up. Cor and Clarus both saluted, hesitating for a moment before they both left with the young princess.

Regis sighed, moving to stand by the window once more before he called the infirmary. ''Dr? Is Mrs Argentum there? Yes. Please ask her to come to my office immediately. Thank you.'' The king sat down and stared at the dvd wearily before inserting it into his computer, he had a duty to watch the video and see what had happened himself.

Sylva knocked once on the door before entering the King's office, ''You called for me, your majesty?'' she asked as she walked in only to stop and frown as she saw the pale and numb look on his face. ''What happened?'' She demanded walking over to his desk and then she saw it, Lance's bloody shirt. Her body tensed for a brief moment before she forced herself to relax and returned her attention to the man behind the desk.

Regis swallowed against a wave of nausea before he replied, ''Ravus got into a fight with Lunafreya and ended up leaving the Citadel without an escort. Lance went after him with Umbra but something happened and they were both kidnapped by a group of criminals. We just received a video message from them. They… Lance was severely injured as a warning.'' Regis crossed his fingers together as he tried to read how the woman was reacting to the news.

Sylva stared at Regis for a while before asking, ''May I?'' She motioned towards the screen. Regis frowned, ''Are you certain? It is not something I would advise you to watch.'' Sylva gritted her teeth and said, ''I need to see what happened to him. Please.'' Regis sighed but reached out to turn the screen around so she could see it and restarted the video. He refrained from watching it again but nothing could prevent the sounds from reaching him. The snap of bones made Regis wince in sympathy and then he realised something rather strange, Lance hadn't screamed. Neither had he made any sound of pain only discomfort or breathlessness.

Sylva had both hands on the desk, leaning over to watch the screen carefully and struggling to keep her anger and worry in check. When the video ended, she turned away from the screen and looked towards the window for a few moments before looking at Regis. ''We need to find them quickly.''

Regis nodded, ''Of course, I have every available Crownguard out looking for them. We will try to find them before they injure Lance or Ravus further.'' The king got up, intent on offering the woman who had been so helpful to him and the country, his support. Instead he found himself looking shocked as Sylva started giggling, ''Oh, I'm not worry about Lance. Ravus? Yes but Lance? Not at all. If anything you should be worried about the state those idiots are going to be in when we do find them. Lance… Has a way of dealing with these situations. He is in no danger.''

Sylva smirked, a dark glint in her eyes as she spoke to Regis, ''Is Luna alright? She must be worried if she got into a fight with Ravus before this.'' Regis stammered a few words before he managed to actually speak properly, ''Sylva? Are you quite alright yourself? What do you mean about Lance?'' Sylva simply smiled, ''I thought you had done a background check on all three of us before we arrived at the Citadel two years ago. Were you not aware of Lance's previous profession?'' She took the silence as confirmation and sighed, ''It's not my tale to tell but you can stop worrying about either of them suffering anymore injury, Lance had the lock picked of his restraints before they broke his leg. He can get out at any time, he is simply waiting for the right time.''

Regis starred at her but didn't have time to ask her further questions as Cor barged in, breathless. ''Umbra is back! Princess Lunafreya believes Umbra can lead us to them!'' both occupants of the room turned to look at him, Regis straightening as he barked, ''I want a team sent with Umbra immediately! Have the rest of the available guards get ready for a hostage rescue situation as soon as possible.'' He turned to Sylva, ''You're welcome to come with us once we head over.'' Sylva smiled, ''I wouldn't miss it for the world your Majesty. I'll be with Lunafreya until then.''

-Present time—

Ravus didn't have time to do much more than stand up when the door slammed opened and a group of men walked in. The one in front of the pack stopped for a moment at the sight of Ravus standing up, if unsteadily, before he smirked and walked up to the prince. ''So you're finally awake princeling. Good, good just in time too.'' The rest of the small group followed their leader's decision, moving to encircle Ravus and Lance with matching smirks.

Ravus shivered as the men approached and moved to cage him beside Lance, he took a step back to distance himself from the leader, a man who was openly eying him as one would meat at the market. Ravus stilled as he felt a hand brush against his back for a split second before Lance spoke up, ''I would suggest you keep your hands off Prince Ravus. Lay a hand on him and it will be the last thing you do.'' Ravus glanced over his shoulder, confused. He could have sworn that the touch had been from Lance and yet…

Lance kept his eyes straight on the leader, allowing his peripheral sight to track the movements of the 7 other men who had walked in. All of them had been looking at Ravus in a way that made his blood boil and told him that he would have to move soon to ensure Ravus' safety. When the young man had stepped back, away from the threat of the leader, Lance had moved, slipping his hand out of the restraints and brushed against Ravus' back for a slight moment as a warning before pretending he was still tied. Lance smirked as he saw his word make the leader angry, taking away the attention from Ravus unto him.

The man turned with narrowed eyes to glare at the impassive Lance, pushing Ravus out of the way until he stood in front of his injured prisoner. ''Looks like you need another lesson on keeping your mouth shut.'' The man sneered. Ravus stumbled as he was pushed away and into the arms of a large man, the stranger grinning down at him before gripping Ravus by the arms and pulling him into his chest.

Ravus struggles helplessly against the grip, the touch breaking the fragile composure he had been able to regain a few minutes ago. ''Let me go!'' Ravus shouts, ''Don't hurt him!'' He is trembling. The hands on his arms burnt. Lance is injured. He can't do anything…. Ravus hangs his head down, a very noticeable trembling running through his body and he can't hold back the whimper that escapes him.

Lance's attention had shifted from the leader, posturing uselessly in front of him, to Ravus the moment he saw one of the minions reach out and grabs him. Lance growls as Ravus panics, his mind made up and he moves the moment the men shift their attention back to the frightened prince. Lance stands up, one hand gripping the cheap metal and plastic chair. The chair is aimed at the leader's head; it hits the man with enough strength to send him sprawling on the ground with a broken neck. _One down._

Lance doesn't waste time, he can't put weight on his broken leg for long but it doesn't matter. The plastic joints of the chair broke, leaving the gleaming metallic tubes free as weapons falling towards the ground. Lance ducks, grabs one and throws it towards the man holding Ravus. The edges of the tube are sharp and easily go through the thin membrane of the eye. _Two down._

His other hand throws another of the tubes horizontally; straight behind him where it hits both knees of the man behind him and shatters them. Lance lifts his injured leg and slams it downwards and catches the third metallic tube in his hand even as he pushes himself sideways. His elbow slams into the nose of another minion effortlessly. _Three down._

Lance transfers the momentum from his upwards elbow strike to carry him into slamming his weapon downwards on another man's collar bone. He feels it shatter under the metal. Now with his back towards the last three minions, Lance throws himself into a backwards hand-sprint with slowly returning ease despite his injuries. _Four down._

As he twists backward, Lance sees the three men finally shake off the surprise and shock, reaching for their own weapons at their waist. They never reach them. Lance had enough strength to push himself to reach them easily, not to mention the height to twist and slam his heels straight down on the center of two men's head. _Six down._

The last man standing opens his mouth to scream when Lance shoves the metal tube through his throat. Lance stands for a moment, motionless and panting before he forces himself to return to the only surviving man of the group that had entered earlier. He cast a quick look at Ravus, the young man starring in a panic at Lance. _Seven down._

The survivor is still on his broken knees, whimpering at the pain of two shatters knee caps preventing him from catching his breath and speaking. Lance grabs unto the man's hair harshly, throwing him unto his back and presses a shoe against the man's throat. ''I'm going to ask you a few questions. Answer me truthfully and I'll knock you out painlessly. Don't and I'll recreate my injuries on you. Understood?''

The survivor whimpers and nods as much as he can against the pressure on his neck. Lance starts immediately, ''How many men remain in the building?'' The minion gulps and with a wavering and pain filled voice replies, ''There are 5 others here. Guarding the entrance.'' Lance nods, ''Where are we?'' The minion whimpers, ''Basement of the Flowing River Garden Center, Southern market district.'' Lance knows the place and hisses between clenched teeth. At least they were still within the city.

With one last question, ''Any security measures that would keep us from leaving?'' gaining a negative reply, Lance bring his foot down on the man's forehead and, as promised, knocks him out cleanly. He then turns slowly to face a still panicking Ravus, ''Ravus?'' Lance shifts his weight unto his uninjured leg as he waits for Ravus to react in any way to what had just happened.

Ravus was confused beyond belief, his mind reeling at what he had just witnessed. How could Lance be able to take down 8 men while injured as he was? By the Six, how was the man even able to move with such a badly broken leg? Ravus is still trembling, unable to make sense of what was going on and only reacts when Lance speaks to him. He forces his eyes away from the bodies lying motionless on the ground to look at Lance. The man is looking at him with worry, his body as non-threatening as possible while still being on alert for anyone coming towards them.

Lance smiles slowly at Ravus when the young man meets his gaze, ''Ravus, can you hear me?'' Ravus nods and Lance allows himself to sigh in relief, ''Can I come closer? I want to free your hands if that's ok with you.'' Ravus nods again, taking a few unsteady steps forwards, towards Lance. Lance takes the nods and the movements as agreement, meeting Ravus quickly and untying the ropes across his wrists while speaking softly to him.

Ravus' wrists are bloodied where the ropes had rubbed his skin raw and Lance frowns at the sight. ''We need to take care of that before we get out.'' Lance's says softly as he looks for something suitable to use as bandage. He is a bit surprise when Ravus grasps his arm forcefully with a trembling hand, ''Your leg…'' Ravus manages to croak out.

Ravus felt like he was floating around, not really feeling like the last day had been real, much less the last few minutes. He ghosts through the thought that Lance needed to get his leg treated, somehow managing to say so, and then through the motions of doing so. Using parts of the broken chair as stilts and the ripped shirt as bandages to try and reduce any movement of the bone until it gets replaced properly. Lance is quietly speaking but his words don't make sense to Ravus, the words elongated into meaningless sounds by the time they reach him.

Lance tries to minimize his movements, verbalising everything even as he realizes that Ravus doesn't seem to be able to understand his words through his panic and shaken mind. As Lance starts planning how to get them both out safely, he hears thumps from the ceiling and soon after a series of near silent footsteps approaching the room. Swearing and giving a whispered apology to Ravus, Lance pushes the boy behind him, hefting the gun he had taken from the dead men towards the door and waits.

Lance is quick to drop it back to his side when Umbra bursts into the room with a happy bark. Ravus drops down to his knees and buried his face against the soft black fur while Lance greets Cor and the few Crownguard that follow after the dog. Lance can't help the laughter that wells out when Cor stares with a shocked expression at the scattered bodies around the ruined remains of the broken chair.

Sometime later, Ravus is safely sleeping in his own room, curled up with Luna and flanked by Umbra and Pryna. Lance is leaning back against his hospital bed while Sylva finishes stitching his leg after the surgery to replace his broken bone at the properly place. He smiles as Cor, Clarus and the king push the thin curtains away and enter the small space.

''Already done with the investigation?'' Lance asked with a tired hum. Clarus sighs, ''More or less, the whole affair wasn't planned. They saw Ravus wondering through the streets looking lost and decided they could make some money from kidnapping him for ransom.'' Cor shifts uneasily as he looks at the many bandages sprawled over Lance's body, ''I hope you're getting the good stuff to deal with the pain. Broken ribs are among the most painful things I can remember getting.'' Sylva and Lance share an amused look.

Lance shifts to find a more comfortable position and lets Sylva respond for him, ''It would be a waste to give Lance any pain killers, no matter how good.'' She sounds amused, her eyes glimmering with merriment. Cor frowns and opens his mouth to ask what she meant when Regis speaks with a tired voice, ''Does that have anything to do with Lance's previous profession you mentioned earlier?'' Lance stares at the king for a moment, shock as he finally catches on, ''Wait! You didn't find out about who I was before going to Lestallum?''

All of the men shook their head and Lance groaned, ''Damn it. Someone screwed up then.'' Sylva chuckles and grins when Lance glared at her. She pats his uninjured leg gently, ''I'll let you explain then. I'm going to go grab Prompto. He wants to see you.'' Sylva dodged out of the way of a mocking grab from Lance and saunters out with a wave, leaving Lance with three confused and slightly worried men looking at him expectantly.

Lance sighed, muttering under his breath before he finally started explaining, ''I was born in Accordo, in the slums of its capital. For as long as I can remember I was raised as an assassin by one of its black market mercenary groups. I was sold out for my first mission when I was 7 and my first assassination within that year.'' Lance put up his hand when Cor seemed to want to say something.

''Let me finish please, its rather hard to remember those years, in greater part because of all the drugs they forced us to take. We were trained extensively and kept drugged for most of our time not outside of the headquarters on missions. The mixture of both caused me to lose my sense of pain early on. I don't think I remember ever feeling pain other than a very vague memory a long time ago.'' Lance motioned to himself, ''That's why it's pointless to give me anything for the pin. I don't feel any to begin with.''

Cor, Clarus and Regis were growing pale as they listened to Lance speak. Cor digging his nails into his palm at the news of such abuse while Clarus was amazed that Lance managed to survive his youth and yet remain as he was now, a kind and well intentioned man. Regis closed his eyes, ''Thank you for letting us know Lance but I must ask. You were an assassin?'' Lance smiled at Regis and nodded, ''I was. I met Sylva while on assignment to kill one of the teachers at the University in Lestalum. Lance Argentum was the persona created by the organisation for that mission.'' Lance fell silent as he heard Prompto's voice coming closer.

''Prompto knows a bit of my past but not all of it and I would prefer keeping it that way for the moment. I will gladly answer any questions you might have later.'' Lance said, asking for the subject to be dropped. It was a request none of the men could bring themselves to deny as Prompto made his entrance with a beaming but worry smile, ''Dad!'' Lance chuckled as Prompto ran to his side and was dragged onto the bed and into a hug while Sylva looked on fondly.

A/N:

And there you have some of Lance's background. He is a child soldier/assassin who was sent to Lestalum on a mission only to come across Sylva. He tried to kill her at first because she kept interrupting his efforts to kill his target but the more he stalked her around the more he felt like it would have been a waste to kill her.

He then tried to woe her as Lance and got taken for the ride of his life until he came clean to her about who he was and why he was at Lestalum in the first place. Sylva helped him fake his death and then take down the group responsible for his horrible childhood. Several members of the group took Lance's betrayal as a chance to escape themselves and thus Lance found himself at the head of a large organisation of ex assassins and spies for hire.


	27. Outbreak

A/N: Prompto and Noctis are 18, Ignis and Gladio are 21.

Sylva groaned as she opened her eyes, a pounding headache preventing her from keeping them open for very long as light pierced her eyes and made things so much worse. A cold and comforting hand came to lie on her forehead; she leaned into the touch with a sigh of relief and dropped back into a fitful sleep.

Lance smiled at his wife, watching with fond eyes as she leaned into his hand and then dropped off into sleep. ''How's mom?'' Prompto asked as he walked over with a damp towel in hand. He looked at his mom, pale and looking warned out after her reckless week. There had been an outbreak of a flu that didn't respond to normal medications throughout Insomnia.

Within a week of the beginning, the hospitals were overwhelmed with patients with almost identical symptoms of a high fever, sore and swollen throat, headaches and a deep raspy cough. There were even more people who were unable to get to the hospital due to the severity of their symptoms. King Regis had reacted quickly, calling for an emergency meeting to discuss how to contain and diminish the spread of this new illness until a vaccine or remedy was found.

The end of the meeting had seen the closure of all schools and non-essential services until the emergency situation was over. Sylva had joined the team assembled by the king to research and create a vaccine or remedy, going from hospital to hospital to take samples from patients of all ages and status. The week that followed the announcement saw a lot of panic from the population; everyone worried about catching the disease and thus going in drove to buy basic necessities like food and bottled water.

Noctis had been involved in the situation, his father giving him full control, and autonomy, on how to respond to situations as he saw fit. Prompto, Ignis, Gladio and the prince had ended up going from one district to another, meeting the different leaders or representatives in order to plan how to ensure the citizen received what they needed.

Lists were made detailing how many people lived where, how much food was needed to feed them, how to schedule the Crownguard and Kingsglaives to make deliveries to each district and how often. The war with Niflheim didn't stop either, increasing to troubles as soldiers fell sick and Lucis lost a lot of land during that time, increasing the stress on all everyone. It also meant that almost no one was able to put time into their usual activities. Not even Sylva, who agreed to cancel the usual Friday evenings of relaxation until things were better.

9 days after the first droves of patients turned up at the hospitals, King Regis was found passed out in his office with a high fever soon to be followed by his Shield and closest advisers. By the 14th day, almost 75% of the population had various symptoms of this flu and things were becoming dire. Strangely most of the teenagers and young adults below thirty were spared from catching the flu, resulting in them being the ones to take care of those who had fallen ill. With the King unable to rule, Noctis stepped up and took the reins of the country and delegated the relief work to Prompto.

It had taken the doctors, nurses and researches 17 days to be able to create a remedy that treated the illness without serious side effects. It was rushed through the clinical tests and giving approval by the medical review board and put into immediate production by local pharmaceutical companies. Remedies were sent first to the hospitals with the worst cases then slowly spread through the city via volunteers going door to door to give out the remedy under the direction of nurses and doctors until finally, a full month after the beginning of the outbreak Insomnia was declared cleared to return to normal life.

Of course, the moment the outbreak had been declared finished most of the teams working on the remedy fell ill themselves and were bed bound from the very same flu they had been researching. Lance sighed as he took the damp towel from Prompto and laid it on Sylva's forehead gently, ''Her fever is still a bit high but if this stays on course with what we've seen over the last month then it should get better by evening.'' Lance smiled at Prompto, the newly graduated teen coming to sit beside Lance.

Prompto returned the smile, taking his phone out to check a text from Noctis before he told his dad, ''Why don't you go and get some rest? I'll stay here in case mom needs something.'' Lance looked down at Sylva, buried under blankets and frowning in her sleep then sighed and nodded, he had spent most of the night comforting the sick mother as she threw up and woke up from fever dreams frantically.

Prompto settled more comfortably on his chair, watching his dad get up and leave the two alone for a bit. The teen looked at his mom, a bit worried at how pale she looked, before taking out one of his notebooks (a habit he picked up from Ignis to the infinite amusement of his friends) and opening it to his latest sketch.

Prompto shifted his chair so he could keep an eye on his mom while working, his hand deftly adding and erasing lines across the page until he was satisfied with what he had created. The lines of text describing each piece were double checked for any mistakes he might have made before Prompto allowed himself to lean back and stretch. Just in time as Sylva groaned and slowly woke up.

Prompto was up and by her side instantly, ''Mom?'' he whispered. Sylva blinked her eyes, her gaze unfocused for long moments before she seemed to truly wake up and looked at Prompto with confusion. ''Prom?'' She mumbled, throat sore and dry. Prompto grinned in relief, ''Yup it's me. Don't try to get up, you're still sick.''

Sylva frowned, her memories were a mess of blurred images and sounds until she started shifting through them and remembered the outbreak. She groaned, partly in embarrassment and partly because of the headache that was coming back, before she turned to look at her son. ''Are you okay?'' She mumbled, trying to push herself up.

Prompto was quick to push her back down, sternly telling her, ''Nu-uh, none of that. Me and Dad are fine so just worry about yourself got it? Are you hungry? Ignis passed by earlier to drop off some soup for you.'' He grinned, ''Everyone's been really worried about you, you kinda passed out in front of the king.'' Sylva hid her face with a sore arm, feeling the blush creeping up at the now vivid memory of walking into the King's office only to have everything fade out on her. She gave her son a glare when he laughed at her, the effect useless when she looked so tired and yawned. ''Go and get your father and the soup instead of laughing.'' Her voice was rough as she tried to scold Prompto.

Prompto giggled as he got up, ''Ok, ok. I'll go wake Dad up then grab the soup for you. I'll be back soon.'' He gave her another smile before slipping out of his parent's bedroom to go find his dad. He found him in the living room, sprawled on the couch sleeping. Prompto couldn't resist taking a few pictures of his dad sleeping so peacefully with the light shining through the blinds to caress the few grey hairs he had begun growing over the last year.

The click of the camera was loud enough in the empty room to register in Lance's mind and he opened his eyes slowly. Tilting his head back he hummed a wordless question at his son, hiding a yawn behind a hand. Prompto smiled, kneeling by the couch to talk with his dad, ''Mom just woke up. I'm going to warm up the soup Ignis dropped off for her.'' Lance sighed in relief and got up, ''Thank Prompto.'' He raised a hand to pat the blond hair before using Prompto's shoulder to push himself up with a grunt and headed straight to see Sylva.

Prompto grinned and headed into the kitchen, humming to himself as he opened to fridge and found the soup filled container with Ignis' cursive writing on it. He read the instruction Ignis had left on the lid, putting it into a saucepan and turning the heat up to medium. As he waited for the soup to start heating back up, he took out his phone and texted his friends. _Mom just woke up, fever is a bit better, reheating Ignis' soup._

He started stirring the soup while pulling up his messages to Ravus, _Hey, finished that EMP we talked about. I'm sending a pic of the schematic._ Prompto placed his sketch book on the dining table and took several pictures of the drawings he had made and the notes associated to it. He sent it over to Ravus and then checked the replies from Ignis and the others.

Noct had sent, _J_ _good, let me know if you need anything._ Prompto grinned and texted back a thanks. Gladio had sent a thumb's up emoji and Ignis a reminder to keep stirring the soup, which Prompto promptly did. The soup was ready a few minutes later and Prompto took out the rarely used bed-table set, putting the bowl of soup on it with some crackers and a few pieces of fruits as well before bringing it all into the bedroom.

Lance was sitting with Sylva's head on his lap, talking softly, both looked up as Prompto walked in with the food. Prompto grinned, ''Soup's ready!'' Lance helped Sylva sit up and Prompto put the bed-table in front of his mom, ''Bon appétit!''

Sylva hummed in delight as she took the first sip of the soup, quickly decimating the meal Prompto had put in front of her as her body recalled she hadn't eaten in about 48h or so. Lance and Prompto shared an amuse look at the sight, Prompto taking a few pictures without letting his mom know. They chatted quietly together until Sylva started falling asleep again.

When she woke up next time, it was to several voices talking quietly beside her. Her headache was mostly gone but she still flinched the first time she opened her eyes because of the light. ''Please allow me to assist.'' A calm and collected voice whispered as she heard the sound of blinds being shut beside her bed. When Sylva opened her eyes a second time, she saw Ignis sitting on a chair beside her with Prompto, both were looking at her with a worried expression.

''How are you feeling Mom?'' Asked Prompto, leaning closer to her. Sylva slowly shook her head and pushed herself up, Ignis moving to help her sit up against her pillows. ''Thank you Ignis, for the soup and the help. Where is Lance?'' She whispered once she was comfortable, looking around for her absent husband.

Ignis replied quietly, ''Your husband was called in for an emergency meeting with the council. Do you require anything else?'' Just as Prompto chirped, ''Got called to work, need anything?'' Sylva laughed a bit only to start coughing making both boys get up. Ignis left to grab a glass of water while Prompto sat beside her and rubbed her back until she stopped coughing.

''I'm fine,'' she drank slowly from the water offered by Ignis, took her medicine offered by her son and leaned back into the pillows before asking, ''What happened?'' Prompto shared a glance with Ignis before he answered, ''There was a big group of refugees that appeared at the North Gate. Dad got asked to help clear them for entry then settle them somewhere.'' Sylva sighed and nodded, the cough having drained her of energy again. Ignis noticed it faster than Prompto and offered, ''Shall we leave you to rest some more?'' Sylva smiled gratefully and closed her eyes, falling asleep once more.

It took another 2 days before Sylva was well enough to be left alone in the apartment, though still too sick to be up for more than a few hours at the time. She was starting to regret insisting she could manage being alone for a few hours while Prompto and Lance were at work with the world spinning as it was. She sat down heavily on the nearest surface, sighing heavily and forcing herself to stay still and breathing calmly.

Sylva groaned as a sharp ringing sounded, a call being placed on the home phone and she stumbled over to answer it, ''Hello?'' She heard a sharp inhale and mentally swore, she must sound awful. ''It's Gladiolus, I was calling to check up on you but now I'm heading over right now. I'll be there in 5.'' Sylva didn't get any time to answer as he hung up, leaving her listening to the tone dial with a groan. Sure enough, a knock came 5 minutes after the call and Gladio walked in followed by Ravus.

Both men stopped at the doorway, looking at the pale and trembling nurse who was glaring at them with annoyance. Ravus sighed and moved first, approaching his aunt and matching her glare with one of exasperation, ''You should have called if you needed help.'' The Kingsglaive commander came to stand in front of Sylva and offered his arm, ''Come on, let's get you to bed.''

Gladio shook his head, since Ravus was going to go help Sylva he would start making some food for all of them. He sent a quick text to Prompto and his dad, letting them know that he and Ravus would be staying at their apartment until someone returned, before he started shifting through the pantry in search of something he could make.

Sylva and Ravus glared at each other, Sylva muttering, ''I'm fine Ravus.'', until a new wave of dizziness had Sylva stumbling forwards into Ravus. Ravus didn't hesitate, sweeping Sylva off her feet and immediately heading over to the rooms. He carefully lowered her unto the bed, ''Honestly, will you stop being so stubborn about this? You're behaving like a child!'' Sylva sighed, ''I suppose I might have overestimated my recovery…'' She winced as her headache returned with a vengeance.

Gladio's phone rang and a glance at the screen had him smirking, ''Hey Ignis, was it Proompto or his dad that told you?'' Ignis answered calmly, ignoring the question. ''How is Mrs. Sylva?'' Gladio hummed, shooting a glance over his shoulder before he answered, ''Ravus just dragged her to bed, she was having trouble standing.'' Ignis sighed, long and worried before declaring, ''Me and Prompto will be there soon. I'll bring something for lunch so please see that she remains in bed until our arrival.'' Gladio grinned, closing the fridge as he replied, ''No problem.''

It doesn't take long for Ignis and Prompto to arrive, each of them bearing a tray of food containers. They were followed within a few minutes by Lance, Luna and Clarus, also bearing food and then to everyone's surprise, Ventus, Noctis and his dad arrived with even more food. They all looked at the now immense amount of food each had brought and laughed before settling to eat together. Sylva looked around her with an amazed smile, she was amazed by having everyone show up like that. She hadn't expected to see so many of her friends (almost family really) to drop their work in order to come help her out. Lance sat down beside her, threading his arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear, ''Our family has grown larger then we could ever have expected.'' His voice was amused and grateful, Sylva could only nod silently, it truly was unexpected.

A/N: EMP= Electromagnetic pulse, a wave of energy that disrupts a lot electronics unless shielded. Prompto thought up a way to create them in a way that the energy wave would only affect the Magi-tech armors and is getting it checked and tested by Kingsglaive soldiers.


	28. Cid and Weskham

A/N: Time line is about 2 weeks after the Chocobo Farm visit.

Weskham whistled as he opened the door to Maagho, bending down to pick up the daily newspapers and… A letter? The bartender chef frowned as he looked at the return address, it came from Insomnia but he was unfamiliar with the name of the sender.

Weskham dropped the letter off to the side, putting it out of his mind while he went about his routine to open his restaurant. He started roasting the coffee beans slowly, started the oven and did all the small tasks he had performed almost daily since first opening his restaurant almost a decade ago.

The letter was left forgotten until he closed that night and stumbled on the discarded letter. Weskham pocketed the letter with a shrug before finishing the usual clean up with his night staff. He hummed as he locked the back door, bidding goodbye to his staff before heading back to his home through the water filled streets of Altissia.

The letter seem to weight him down, Weskham reaching up to touch it through his vest every few minutes until he had enough of putting it off and stopped under a streetlight before pulling the letter out and looking at it wearily. The envelop was unremarkable, the return address read _Sylva Argentum, 298-1098 Crown Street, Insomnia, Lucis._

Weskham dug his thumb under the tab and worked the flap opened with ease, carefully taking out the letter within and unfolding it. A picture was grafted to the top of the letter with a paperclip and Weskham found himself staring at it in absolute shock. It showed of Cor with a bright yellow chick nestling on his head while two more were in his hands and Cor had a very rare smile on his face.

The letter itself was short and to the point. It read:

 _Weskham, Regis plastered this all over the Crownguard office with a direct order to not remove them. I want pay back for this and thought you might enjoy joining me on this little revenge scheme. Let me know if you want in and how long before you can get back to Insomnia._

 _Cor Leonis._

 _P.S. Sylva Argentum is the childhood friend I told you guys about during the trip. She wants to meet you and Cid (I sent a message to him too)_

Weskham stared at the words for a long time, uncertain as to how to take this sudden message from Cor, whom he had heard nothing about in close to two decades. He considered the picture with a fond smile and then the offer as he walked back to his home. By the time Weskham saw his front door, he had made a decision.

-Hammerhead-

''PAW-PAW! You got mail!'' Cindy shouted as she threw off her schoolbag unto the nearby bench before walking across the garage to hand her grandpa the letter as he pushed himself from under a car. Cid humphed as he took the letters and asked, ''School go okay?'' Cindy nodded as she hurried up the stairs to get changed, ''Yup, teacher said I could do the graduation exams if I wanted too.''

Cid allowed a proud smirk to show, Cindy had been increasingly bored at school and was much more interested in helping him out at the shop rather than sit all day. It hadn't taken much to convince the local teacher to just give Cindy a chance at higher grade work and she had breezed through most of the material with ease to the point where she was set to graduate a full 2 years early. Cid got up and started looking through the mail, most of it went straight to the garbage but there were a few bills and an unusual letter from a Sylva Argentum.

The name sounded familiar but Cid couldn't pin point why and he tossed the letter on his desk to deal with the bills first. Cindy came back down and stopped at the door of the office, ''What ya want me doing Paw-Paw?'' Cid looked up, Cindy was wearing her mother's overall and she was starting to fit in them comfortably. ''Carl's tow truck needs a tune up. Come get me when you're done.'' Cindy nodded and headed back into the garage with a grin.

Cid stopped and looked as Cindy moved confidently to the truck, grabbing a tool box on the way and got straight to work without any trouble. He glance over every few minutes as he worked on the annoying bureaucratic crap that came with owning a business like his until the only thing left unopened was the mysterious letter.

Cid brought it closer, looking the letter over before he finally opened it and dumped the content on his desk. A picture slipped out first followed by a folded letter, the picture floated down to rest on the floor and Cid reached down to grab it with a grunt of annoyance. He glanced at it as he straightened and was shocked still. ''The hell?'' He swore then turned to look at Cindy, thankfully she hadn't heard him swear.

Cid straightened and looked once more at the picture, he couldn't believe it was real! Cid grabbed the accompanying letter with a glare. ''There better be a damn good explanation for this.'' He mumbled as he quickly looked through what it said.

 _Hey Cid, been a while. Regis plastered this all over the Crownguard office with a direct order to not remove them. I want pay back for this and thought you might enjoy joining me on this little revenge scheme. Think you're willing to come over and make his life hell for a few days? I asked Wes too, figured it be nice to get all together again if only to remind Regis he isn't always right._

 _Thanks,_

 _Cor Leonis_

 _P.S. Sylva is the childhood friend I told you guys about. You can meet her if you come to help._

Cid stared at the letter than back at the picture, he could feel a grin twitch at the edge of his lips before he allowed himself to laugh. He checked his calendar and made his decision, reaching to grab the office phone and he dialed a rarely used number. The phone rang three times before someone answered, ''Maagho.'' Cid grinned than said, ''I need to speak with Weskham. Tell him it's Cid.'' He heard someone turn away to talk with someone else, the voices too muffles to understand.

''Cid.'' Weskham said softly. Cid grinned and leaned back on his chair, turning around to keep an eye on Cindy while he talked. ''It's been a while. How ya doing Wes?'' He could hear the grin in his old friend's voice as the bartending chef replied, '' It has indeed, I have been well and I hope the same can be said of you and your granddaughter.''

Cid grinned, ''Cindy's doing great, just about to finish high school early. She wants to help out in the shop more. I figure I'll be able to leave the garage in her hands sooner rather than later.'' Weskham chuckled, ''I am delighted to hear such good news. Please give her my congratulations.'' Cid took the opening, ''Why don't ya come and do it yourself? Ya got Cor's letter right?'' Weskham sighed, ''Indeed I did, two days ago. Sent my reply the next morning. I suppose you mean to accept?''

Cid grunted, ''A direct invitation to mess with Reggie? I aint going to pass that up. Are you joining in on the fun or not? '' Weskham huffed, ''I suppose you wouldn't. As for myself, I have already told Cor I am willing to participate in his revenge.'' Cid nodded and offered, ''Get your ass over here and we'll go in together and scare the crap out of Reggie.'' A date was set and Cid hung up with a wide grin. Reggie wouldn't know what hit him.

-a week later—

Cor shifted uneasily as he stood by the gate, he glanced over to the gate guards, who looked away promptly, and checked his watch. ''You look nervous Cor.'' Remarked Sylva as she came to stand beside him. Cor looked over and nodded hesitantly once, ''I haven't seen them in decades, I'm not sure what to expect from either of them.''

Sylva smiled calmly, ''They both accepted to come here so I'm certain things will work out.'' She hummed as she took out a bottle of water and extended it to Cor. The Marshall sighed, ''The fight that sent them away is legendary, I know Regis regrets what happened but his temper hasn't exactly improved over the years, he's just gotten a lot better at hiding it.'' He grabbed the water and took a sip with gratitude; the weather was sweltering hot and humid.

A truck approached and Cor tensed, throwing the bottle aside to walk to the driver side window as it slowed down to a stop before the gate. The window rolled down and a grumpy withered face came into view, '' Well, well it's been a while Cor.'' Cor nodded at Cid's greeting, he could see Weskham sitting beside him.

Cor greeted them, ''Cid, Weskham. Glad you could make it.'' He waved off the guards that had moved to inspect the old beat up truck introduce Sylva as she walked over. ''This is Sylva, my childhood friend I told you about.'' Sylva grinned and leaned up against the truck to look inside at Cid and Weskham. ''Nice to meet you both, thanks for taking care of this reckless idiot during the trip. It must have been a pain in the ass.''

Cor sputtered, ''Sylva!'' indignant at her matter-of-fact statement only to have the nurse grin at him with a giggle. Cid stares at Sylva then roars with laughter, turning to Weskham and declares, ''I like her already.'' Weskham looks at Cid with practiced sufferance before leaning forward and addressing Sylva, ''I apologize for this grumpy old fool. It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Argentum.'' He gave the lady a half bow from his sitting position and then swiftly dodged the retaliatory fist from Cid with a smirk.

Sylva laughed and Cor watched in amazement as she wrangled the two older men into allowing her into the truck and following her directions with a wave to Cor as they drove off. The Marshall was left standing at the gate for several moments before a guard dared to ask, ''Are you alright sir?'' Cor nodded then waved the guards back to their duty before leaving himself.

The plan was to meet back up in the parking garage of the Citadel before bringing Weskham and Cid to meet up with Regis and Clarus before the usual Friday evening supper. Of course, Cor found himself reaching the Citadel first and had to wait almost 15 minutes before the truck made its way in to park beside him. Sylva was the first to get out, grinning at Cor as she grabbed a few plastic bags from behind her, ''I told them about our plan and they suggested a few improvements to it.'' Cor raised an eyebrow and reached to grab one of the bags, looking into it to find googly eyes, sparkles and several bags of balloons in it.

A glance to the ones that Sylva still held and Cor didn't know whether he should groan or laugh as he pieced together the adjustments Cid and Weskham would have proposed. The final piece of the puzzle came when Weskham stepped out of the truck holding a small container swirling with a dark red liquid within and a satisfied smile on his lips. Cor smirked, looking over at Sylva and stated, ''This is going to be amazing.'' To which Cid laughed.

A guest suite had been prepared by Ventus, sworn into secrecy by both Cor and Sylva, and they headed straight to it to start preparing the various details and objects needed to take revenge against the king for spreading the photo of Cor with the chocobos around the Crownguard. Cid and Weskham were treated to several stories about Cor and Sylva's childhood together before the man left to join the Crownguard to the utter embarrassment of Cor.

By the time they were ready to go meet the King and Shield, Cor was red-faced and had been for a while now but had given up on trying to get Sylva to hide some of the more embarrassing details of their pranks. Instead he turned to adding in details about Sylva that left her red-faced but smiling most of the time, ''We should get going if we want to get Regis and Clarus before something else catches their attention.'' Cor sighed.

''Might as well.'' Cid grumbled, pushing away the contraption he had been working on and getting up. Sylva grinned and asked, ''Want me to come with you or should I leave you guys alone?'' Weskham looked over at Cor then Cid before replying, ''I believe it might be best if you were not present for the initial meeting but perhaps you can find us in about an hour? It should prevent us from killing each other.''

Sylva nodded, patted her pants to get rid of the sparkles as much as she could, ''Sounds good, I'll send a text to Cor in an hour to check where you are.'' She grinned and added mischievously, ''And to ask if I need to bring a first aid kit.'' With that, Sylva sweep out of the room and left the three men to reunite with the king.

Cid had a smirk as he looked over at Cor and asked, ''You sure she's just a friend, Kid? Because she seems like a lot more than just that.'' Cor glared at him about to snap back at the mechanic when Weskham slapped Cid on the back of the head and said pointedly, ''That was highly inappropriate Cid. There is no need for you to take your unease out on Cor, now apologise.''

Cid glared at Weskham but the man was right and Cid apologised, ''Sorry Cor, that was outta line.'' Cor stood still for a moment before he accepted the apology. The last few preparations were done in silence before Cor guided Weskham and Cid to the King's office. He stepped out of the way and let the two companions decide when they were ready.

Cid huffed and stomped over to the door, knocking and entering quickly without waiting for a reply. Weskham followed after him and Cor entered last, closing the door behind him silently.

Regis had been standing by the window, talking with Clarus when the knock had come and someone had entered without waiting for an answer. Clarus had turned, instinctively putting himself between Regis and the door only to stare at the people who entered. Regis was just as shocked, ''Cid? Weskham? Why are you here?'' He moved away from Clarus and toward his old companions.

Cid scuffed and crossed his arms, ''That really what ya should be saying to us Reggie?'' Regis flinched at the rough and angry tone coming from the mechanic and Clarus stepped up and glared at Cid, ''You're the one who decided to run off in the middle of the night without a word and never came back Cid!''

Cid took a deep breath, about to reply to the accusation from Clarus when Weskham spoke up calmly but loudly, ''It has been much too long your Majesty, how have you been?'' The bartender and ex-chamberlain looked at his former liege, noticing the lack of old tension and the healthy glow to the man despite the strain holding the wall must be putting on him.

Regis took the opportunity given to him by Weskham gladly, moving to properly greet the two men and replying to the question, ''Welcome back to Insomnia both of you, I missed having you by my side. I have been well, bett…'' They were interrupted by a knock on the door and a maid slipping into the office with a platter of food. It startled Weskham and Cid as she pushed through them to place the food on the King's desk without a word.

Clarus chuckled at the sight, smirking until Regis gently slapped his arm with a wordless admonition. Regis turned to Weskham and Cid, ''My apologise, Sylva is quite insistent in seeing my health restored properly.'' He motioned to the food and Weskham frowned before asking, ''What do you mean?'' Regis smiled and motioned for everyone to sit down only to wince when the maid cleared her throat pointedly.

Regis grabbed a yogurt parfait and took a bite before the maid relaxed and bowed before leaving the room. Cid looked between Regis, Clarus and Cor before growling, ''Okay, spill. What's going on with that?'' Regis smiled and answered, ''Sylva Argentum joined my medical staff a few months ago, since then she has made several changes within the Citadel that has helped diminish the strain of maintaining the wall. A change of diet was included within those and the staff have been quite keen in ensuring I follow it to the letter.''

Cid and Weskham both looked shocked and Weskham wondered, ''Is Mrs Argentum not only a nurse then?'' Clarus chocked and coughed and was quick to warn Weskham, ''I wouldn't repeat that around her if I were you. Regis did that once and well…'' He smirked as he looked at the embarrassed king who stammered, ''Yes well… In any case, what bring you to Insomnia together? I don't recall hearing anything about your visit.''

Cor cleared his throat and answered the query, ''That would be my doing, I invited them over since you've been complaining about missing them recently. I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to meet Sylva and my nephew at the same time.'' Weskham nodded, ''Indeed, Cor was quite insistent about coming to visit and well, none of us were very good at saying no to the child after all.'' The bronze skinned man smiled as he teased Cor.

Cid laughed, ''I remember, Reggie was always being dragged one way or the other by the kid, more often than not straight into a fight.'' Clarus grinned and joined in on the teasing, ''I don't remember how many time I had to drag them both out of a fight with some local hunter. It's a good thing no one realised who we were, otherwise the reputation of the Royal Family would have been wrecked.'' Cor groaned, mumbling under his breath but loud enough to be heard, ''Why did I think this was a good idea again?'' Everyone burst into laughter at that, even Cor who joined in, happy to see their companions all together once again after almost 20 years of being apart.

A/N: Next week you get to see the pranks planned by everyone as revenge for Cor's embarrassing pictures (They're more cute than embarrassing but Cor hates not having a say in who sees it.)

Cid tells the chocobros that they had a falling out at the end of their trip but worked it out quickly enough that Cid (and I assume Weskham) got invited to the crowning ceremony and marriage so while there is some tension between Cid and Clarus (mostly because Clarus remembers how heartbroken and hurt Regis was after Cid and Weskham left and is still a bit resentful about it) Regis is utterly fine and happy with having his old friends there.


	29. Prankster's Return

The supper that night was filled with laughter and stories, one of the few times the children decided not to play video games in favor of hearing stories from Cid and Weskham about the trip they had taken together. It was fun and relaxing for everyone though Ravus stayed away from Cid and Weskham but within arm's length of Luna.

Regis noticed the frequent glances and smirks shared between Cor, Cid, Weskham and Sylva but thought very little of it. He regretted it the next morning, truly that evening had been the calm before the storm….

-Waking up-

Regis stirred at the sound of his alarm with a groan, his bed was warm and comfortable and he hadn't slept this well in quite a while. He hadn't realized how much he had missed his two old friends nor how worried he had been about them despite staying in touch. Without opening his eyes, Regis stretched slowly and then stilled. His hand had just touched something soft and plastic.

Regis opened his eyes slowly, unsure of what he would find as he did. The sight that greeted them shocked him beyond words. His bedroom floor was completely filled with balloons of all colors and sizes. Some had even found their way into his bed. Regis looked up and swore, his ceiling was filled with just as many balloons floating gracefully above him.

He heard the door to his room open and then giggles, his gaze going to the grinning figure of his son, ''Did you do this Noctis?'' Asked Regis. Noctis shook his head and replied with a massive grin, ''Nope,'' He pointed to somewhere right above Regis' head, ''You have a letter.'' Regis looked up and sure enough a folded piece of paper was pinned on the corner post.

He gingerly picked the paper up and read it out loud for Noctis' sake, ''I hope you enjoyed your rest Regis because today is going to be quite interesting for you. Enjoy your morning exercise, if I were you I would try not to make any of the balloons burst. Sylva decided to add some surprises in a few of them. Cor.''

The laughter he heard from Noctis pushed aside the anger in favor of exasperated amusement and he called out to his son, ''Would you mind opening the door just a bit more, it seems I shall have to warp out of my own bed today.'' Noctis smiled and did so, pushing the door carefully until the opening was big enough for Regis to send a through without fearing an accident.

It has been a while since the last time and Regis felt out of place as he reappeared beside his son with a flash of blue light. He looked down at a happy and smiling Noctis and sighed, extending his hand towards the boy, ''Let's go get some breakfast and let the maids know to do their best to get the ballons out of my bedroom and into Cor's.'' Noctis replied, ''Ok but I want chocolate chip pancakes!'' Regis laughed and dipped down to pick Noct up into his arms.

-Arriving at his office-

Regis was half listening to Ventus going through the day's schedule of meeting as he opened the door to his office only to groan at the sight. He growled, ''Seriously?'' as he pushed the door open all the way. The inside of his office gleamed under the sunlight from the windows showing the many layers of plastic wrap that wound itself around everything in the room.

Ventus stopped beside Regis and wondered out loud, ''Should I ask?'' Regis shook his head, ''It seems that Cor took offense at my attempts to redecorate the Crownguards offices and has decided to make my day 'intriguing' as he put it.'' Ventus chuckled, ''I see, should we call him so he can clean this mess up?''

Regis shook his head again, stepping into his office and within a second, the room was filled with the blades of his Armiger. ''It's been a while since I've used them for something needing finesse rather than brute force but…'' Regis concentrates and carefully angles the blades properly before mentally moving them.

''Umm… Perhaps I should have Clarus create some practice exercises for finesse.'' Regis muttered as he winced seeing the scratches one the sides of his desk and the chairs. Ventus stared and then sighed, ''You do realize that Cor is going to feel guilty about making you use your Armiger over a prank.'' Regis grinned as he moved to sit down on his chair, ''Maybe then he'll think twice about being childish.''

Regis ignored the amused glance from Ventus, knowing full well what his adviser was thinking. Regis looked down at the paperwork on his desk and sighed, maybe he too had been a bit childish by making the removal of the picture an act of treason…

-Lunch-

Regis sipped from the cup of tea Weskham had made for him and sighed in delight, ''It's been much too long since I've had a cup of your tea Weskham. It's as delicious as I remember.'' Weskham smiled, ''I'm delighted to hear that. How was your morning?''

Regis groaned, ''Interesting and yet boring. Cor filled my bedroom with balloons and then somehow found time to plastic wrap my office. I'm quite sure Sylva is helping him but I don't know if there is anyone else.'' Weskham hummed and glanced at the clock.

''Then a good lunch should help make you feel better. I decided to help the Kitchen to celebrate our reunion.'' Weskham announced with a satisfied smile. Regis' eyes brightened, ''You cooked for me again?'' Weskham smiled, ''Indeed, shall we? I believe Cid should be waiting for us.''

The news and promise of a wonderful meal had Regis putting aside his work and getting up. ''Lead the way old friend.'' Declared Regis with glee. The short walk to the dining room is filled with soft conversation about Weskham's restaurant the Maagho.

Weskham pushed the door open first, keeping it so as Regis entered with a murmured thanks as he moved into the large dining room. Cid was there already, waving carelessly in greeting. ''About time ya got here. I'm starving.'' Grumbled Cid as Regis sat down beside him with Weskham on his other side.

The doors opened and in came several servants pushing carts filled with covered plates. As the food was placed on the table, Regis whistled and turned to Weskham, ''All of this for me?'' Weskham answered with a satisfied smile. As each plate of food was revealed, Regis grew more and more excited by the feast lying in front of him.

''Weskham you have outdone yourself! What did I do to deserve such a treat?'' He exclaimed , then stopped to stare suspiciously at Weskham and Cid. ''Alright, what is it? Did either of you two mess with the food?'' Regis asked, looking between the two men.

Cid grinned and reached out to grab some mouth-watering garula steak from the nearest plate, ''Don't be daft Reggie, who in their right mind messes around with perfectly good food? Plus that nurse Sylva's got you on a diet right?'' Weskham added, ''It would be regrettable if you did not partake in the food I spent all morning making but I understand your suspicions.''

Regis stared at them for a while longer, watching Cid take a huge bit of the steak before he relented, ''Of course, forgive me my friends. Cor's pranks must have made me more suspicious then I realized.'' Satisfied that neither of his friends were part of Cor's pranking, Regis started serving himself a bit of everything.

Most of the dishes were his favorites: juicy steaks, butter fried vegetables, chicken and so much more! Regis was drooling just looking at the feast. He cut a piece of spiced chicken and added a few pieces of broccoli before bringing his fork to his lips. He was so focused on the mouth-watering sight that Regis missed the silent and amused looks being traded by Weskham and Cid, the last of which had taken out a camera and was recording.

The first bite sent Regis expectations from 'It's going to be so good!' to ''What the hell?' As he choked on the overly salty and bitter taste that filled his mouth. ''What the hell?'' He exclaimed as he went spit out the food into his napkin and went to grab a sip of the wine. Only to find it bitter and salty again.

Weskham and Cid broke down laughing, Cid fairly howling with laughter as he did his best to keep the camera still. Regis turned on them with thunderous glare and demanded, ''Explain. Now.'' Neither of them could, every attempt dissolving into laughter at the expression of an increasingly annoyed Regis.

Weskham is the first to regain enough composure to speak without having to stop and laugh, ''Try another bite and you'll understand.'' The bartender chef grinned as he motioned for Regis to eat. Regis huffed and scowled, ''You expect me to take another bite after how horrible the first one was?''

Cid cackled with laughter and then prodded, ''Go on and eat, you're too skinny for ya own good.'' The mechanic then took another bite of the food tauntingly. Regis sighed, eyes going from the sight of Cid eating to his food then to Weskham who grinned and inclined his head towards the waiting food.

Regis gingerly took a small piece from his plate and hesitated before placing it in his mouth. This time the food tasted as heavenly as it looked. He looked down at his plate then at Weskham, remembering the cup of tea his old chamberlain had brought to him half an hour ago. ''This is going to be a long day isn't it?'' Cid grinned and replied, ''Should've thought of it before ya went and annoyed the kid.'' Regis groaned then took another bite.

-afternoon meeting—

Regis listened intently as Lady Cibus described the plan to expand the southern agricultural lands to ensure there would be no food shortages even with the increase in refugees from Tenebrae. She turned to look at the king and waited for his opinion.

Regis nodded gravely before declaring, ''I believe…'' He was suddenly interrupted by a mechanical whirl followed by the strangest sound. ''I want to ride my chocobo all day… La la la… I want to ride my chocobo all day…'' Everyone stilled and looked upward towards the source of the sound.

There, high above the council table, hanging from the ceiling was a well-known and loved toy of Malboro-kun. The toy had been marketed as being able to react to certain words in order to make it 'speak' or do certain actions. Now it seemed to be looping through the chocobo song twice before it fell silent.

''What in Eos?'' Muttered Clarus, staring at the ceiling, ''How did someone manage to put a Malboro-kun up there?'' The confusion had spread to the rest of the council, all of them bearing expressions of both confusion and amusement. Regis stared and prayed that this was not something that Cor had imagined as a prank.

Lady Cidus cleared her throat and returned her attention to the King, ''Your Majesty?'' Regis blinked and then called order to the council, ''The toy can remain there until the end of the council. As for your plan concerning expanding the agricultural lands, I believe…'' He was interrupted once more though this time the song was Malboro-kun's theme song instead of the chocobo one. A small favor as it repeated twice before stopping.

Barely suppressed grins and laughter rumbled through the room, even Clarus chuckling at the interruption. Regis sighed, ''Cor…'' He mumbled under his breath, glaring up at the toy before forcing himself to ignore it in order to finish what he wanted to say. ''I believe…'' The Chocobo song started but Regis powered through, ''That it would be a good idea to test out how sustainable your plan is on a smaller scale before implementing it throughout the area.''

Lady Cidus nodded, adding a note to her documents and the discussion continued. Regis tried to ignored the almost constant interruptions by the hanging Malboro-kun whenever someone used 'opinion' or 'believe' which would trigger either the chocobo song or the Malboro-kun Theme song to be heard. Regis was mentally planning how to get back at Cor for this.

-late afternoon-

Regis, followed by Ventus and Claarus, sighed in relief as he walked up to the door leading to his quarters, a nod to the guards and he pushed the door open and stepped through. He caught the edge of something falling towards him and Regis flinched as he was covered by glitter and falling streamers from a bucket that had been placed above the door.

Children's laughter exploded around the room as Regis ever so slowly opened his eyes and brushed away the streamers that had landed on his head. Noctis, Prompto, Gladio, Ignis, Luna and even Ravus were laughing merrily at the sorry sight of the older man covered in very shiny glitter and brightly colored streamers.

Clarus and Ventus both chuckled, ignoring the look that Regis cast over his shoulder at them. ''Welcome back Dad! How was your day?'' asked Noctis once he stopped giggling. Regis smiled wryly back, replying as he tried to clean himself off as best he could, ''Rather interesting but I think you already knew that.'' Noctis grinned unashamedly.

Ignis and Ventus were quick to try and help Regis clean up, each brushing off stray glitters as Regis picked up the various streamers draped about him. They finally all settled in the living room as Noctis and Prompto insisted on watching something together that they said was being viewed by everyone on Eos.

The words sent a thrill of alarm in Regis' mind and he had a feeling he knew just what he was about to see. As Luna and Ignis helped Prompto find and rewind the video on the tv, Regis picked up his phone and sent the mysteriously missing Marshall a quick text. _This means war._ Accompanied by a small image of an angry devil. As the video finally started, Regis groaned and asked Clarus, ''Should I be mad at him for this?'' Clarus glanced over, a beaming smile on his lips and then the Shield glanced over at the smiling faces of the children around them. It was answer enough for Regis.


	30. Fishing for Two

A/N: Noctis is 17.

Noctis grinned as he watched his dad try and fail to cast his line into the high waters of the Belisima River. "Need a hand there Dad?" He teased as he recast his own line, it landed with a satisfying bloop right on his target. Noct glanced over just in time to see his dad pull a pouting face and he almost collapsed from laughter.

Regis looked annoyed at first, watching his son be able to cast his fishing line so perfectly at every try and then laughing at him. He couldn't find himself to get angry though, instead allowing his happiness at being here, away from the politics and the burden of being king, show in the fond smile he threw towards Noctis.

Regis extended his fishing cane over to Noctis, "Perhaps it would be best for you to show me how to cast properly, I appear to be very much out of practice." Noct carefully placed his own rod on the ground, placing a foot on it to keep it from being pulled into the water and went to stand beside his dad.

Noct looked at the way his dad was holding the cane before reaching out and carefully placing the older man's hands where they should be, "Here. Hold the fishing rod here and here. Then unflip the reeling switch and pull out a certain amount of the line." He watched as his dad followed his instructions, moving his hands into a better position then smiled as he placed himself behind his dad and helped him through the proper movement of casting.

Regis smiled, feeling the warmth of his son's presence right behind him and enjoyed the lesson in fishing from his son. He grinned happily when the hook and its bobber sunk at a fair distance in the water, not exactly where he had intended but much better than his previously disastrous attempts.

Noctis cheered along his father when he saw the proper cast be successful, and he slapped his dad on the back, "Congrats Dad!" Regis smiled and ducked his head, "It all thanks to you Noctis. You make a wonderful teacher." Noctis was stunned for a moment at the unexpected compliment and he knew he was blushing. "It's nothing Dad." He mumbled back before moving to grab his own rod again.

They both settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and the calm company of his son. They spoke occasionally, Regis asking Noct about the different kinds of fishes they could expect to find in the waters. As the afternoon wore on, Noctis managed to catch a few things but none of them was large enough to be a proper supper for both of them and the two Amicitia who had accompanied them for the day.

Regis hadn't been so lucky but he didn't really mind, it was nice to spend a day with his son, simply relaxing by the river. He was so relaxed that he was caught completely unprepared by the sudden yank on his rod. Regis straightened from his seat with excitement, "Noctis! I caught one!" His glee was almost childlike as he allowed the next pull on the line to draw him to his feet.

Noctis laughter, reeling in his own line so he could go help his dad, he could hear the laughter from the two Amicitia's behind him. Regis moved closer to the edge of the river, struggling to keep a grasp on the thin fishing rod while simultaneously reeling the strong fish in. Regis smiled widely as he pulled the rod in the direction the fish was moving. He was about to yell his excitement when his body went stiff and he choked on his own voice.

Noctis keep glancing to his dad as he moved closer to the edge of the river, the excitement shining in his face was catching and Noctis was filled with a new burst of energy. He returned his attention to finishing reeling his line in before dropping it unto the ground beside him. There was a large splash from where his dad had been and Noctis jerked up to look, expecting to find his dad with the fish in hand. Instead he found himself looking at empty space and a ripple of water where his father had been standing.

"Dad?" Noctis said quietly, eyes roaming around, hoping to see his father reappear unharmed if wet. When he registered the shouts from Clarus, Noct didn't even hesitate before kicking off his shoes and jumping into the deep waters of the river. The water was freezing from the melting snow of spring and it was almost too dark for Noctis to see anything.

Noctis swam deeper into the river, being buffeted by the river's hard current and feeling the water weight down on his clothes. He kicked off his shoes while looking around desperately for his dad. A flash of light caught Noct's attention and he found himself staring at a patch of color that was darker than the rest of the river bed. _Dad!_

Noct frantically kicked as he swam desperately towards the sinking figure of his father. _Almost… There…_ Noctis could feel the brush of his dad's shirt brushing against his fingertips. His hand opened and closed several times before Noctis managed get a good grip on the cloth. Noctis exhaled a bit and then tugged his father's motionless figure up until he could wrap his arm around his father's waist.

With his father secured in his arm, Noctis twisted until he could see the air bubbles that told him in which direction to go in and began swimming up. His chest burnt with the need to breath and his worry for his father, much too still for Noct's liking. His ascendance was much slower than his dive into the river.

To add to the growing problem, Noctis could feel his body being pushed by the current and he tightened his grip on his dad while redoubling his efforts to reach the surface. He took several gasping breath the moment his head cleared the surface before fighting to prop up his dad so his mouth and nose were clear as well. Noctis felt his heart shutter in panic when he noticed the limp body not breathing for several too long seconds before his dad took a shuttering breath and coughed to Noctis relief.

The prince worked hard threading the water as he kept them both above the surface while he tried to get to the river bank as quickly as he could. The ground crumbled at first under his touch, forcing Noctis to dig his fingers into the dirt until he was lucky enough to grab the edge of a rock. He grunted as he lifted his dad out of the water, pushing him until he was safely out of the water before Noctis dared to pull himself up.

Noctis allowed himself a few moments to rest, face down against the ground and dripping wet. His clothes heavy with water and clinging unpleasantly on him. He turned his head and watched as his father drew breath, his chest moving steadily and comfortably now that they were out of the water.

Noct pushed himself to his knees, shuffling to look at his dad for injured and he felt relieved when he saw none. That relief didn't last long as his dad groaned in pain and then started coughing. Noctis scrambled to his side, "Dad!" He saw blood filling his dad's mouth and Noct quickly muttered a thank you for Ignis' insistence he take first aid classes less than a month ago.

The Prince carefully moved his dad unto his side, watching worried as blood drained from his open mouth. The coughing seemed to stop but that could mean a lot of things and Noctis wasn't going to wait to find out. He glanced around, the current had brought them both away from their fishing spot, how far Noct couldn't know. Noctis glanced down at his dad, pale and now shivering on his side and made up his mind.

It was a long shot but if he could just…. A phone appeared in his hand, he wasn't sure whose it was but it didn't matter right now. Noctis composed the number he had long since learnt by heart and almost sobbed in relief when he heard Gladio's voice growl, "Not now Iggy, we still haven't found them." Noct hurried, "Gladio it's me!" There was a moment of silence then Gladio's voice resounded in his ear, "Noct? How… No doesn't matter. Where are you? Are you alright? Is your dad with you?"

Noctis answered him as much as he could, "I'm alright but dad isnt, hes pale and coughing up blood. I have no idea where we are, the current dragged us down the river. We're safe for now but Dad needs help quickly." Noct was a bit surprised when Clarus' voice rang out, " Highness, I need you to try and move your father away from the riverbed as much as you can then start a fire. Do not hang up and keep talking to us. Is that clear?"

Noctis nodded, "Ya." He bent down and carefully picked his dad up into his arms, grunting at the strain on his back. "Noct? What's going on?" Gladio asked over the phone that Noct still held in one hand. "I picked Dad up, harder than I thought." Noct grunted.

He staggered a few meters up, unto a dryer section of the ground before putting his dad back down. He quickly checked on the unconscious man, feeling a wave of relief when he noticed no new blood. "Got us both away from the bank. There's a bush growing on some rocks nearby, I'll try to start a fire with it." Now that he was up and moving, Noctis could feel himself shiver as his wet clothes and the cold wind that was picking up started to affect him. "Shit!" He muttered.

"Noctis, Gladio just put a lighter into the Armiger, bring it out and use it." Clarus voice instructed calmly. Noctis hurried and sighed in relief as the lighter appeared easily, he moved to the bush and broke off several branches before looking around for a safe place to light a fire. He found a small divot in the rocks and quickly pilled the branches into it before lighting them on fire.

"I started the fire; it should be safe surrounded by rocks right?" Clarus confirmed it and kept giving Noctis instructions. Moving his father closer to the fire; stripping both of them of their wet clothes and taking out several towels and blankets that someone, either Ignis or Prompto, were putting into Noct's Armiger for them to use. The constant talking helped Noctis beat back the exhaustion he was starting to feel dragging on his limbs though it become increasingly hard for him to reply to Gladio or Clarus when they prompted him too.

The only thing keeping him from falling into the growing numbness was the sight and sound of his dad, breathing from where he was now resting, snuggled against Noctis and under most of the blankets at their disposal. He looked better, less pale then when Noct had first dragged him out of the water but he hadn't woken up and harsh coughing fits still overtook him from time to time.

Noctis heard the sound of a car approaching and lifted his head with difficulty, staring blearily at the familiar figures that jumped out of an equally familiar car. Gladio was by Noct's side before he could fully understand who had arrived, "Noct! Answer me!" Warm hands and a warmer body scooped him up into strong arms, Noctis pushing himself as close as he could to the warmth before he groaned a reply, "Gladio?" His shield tightened his grip on the too cold prince and Noctis let his head fall sideways until he could see Clarus with his dad. "Dad?" The question was soft, barely heard by Gladio who answered quickly, "You did good Noct. You're both going to be fine."

Noctis lost track of what happened next, the knowledge that he and his dad were both with their Shield allowed him to relax and fall into the comforting embrace of exhausted slumber. He woke up at times, disoriented and either too hot or much too cold, but never for long. Time seemed to lose meaning to the prince as he slept on comforted in the knowledge that he was safe.

When Noctis finally did wake up, it was to open his eyes to see Ignis hovering worried above him. "Noctis! Can you understand me?" Noctis croaked an answer, his throat dry and his mouth feeling sticky, "Ig…nis?" Ignis looked utterly relieved at hearing Noctis speak. He briefly disappeared from view and when he returned into Noct's sight, it was with Gladio and Prompto.

Gladio smiled at Noct then reached behind him, "Come on, let's get you sitting up for a bit okay?" Noctis tried to help but his limbs were weak and he couldn't seem to be able to control them properly, leaving Gladio to do most of the work with lifting him and then dropping Noct back on pillows Prompto had quickly rearranged behind his back. Prompto's smile was watery but relieved and Noctis tried his best to return it.

"Here you go Noct, try to drink it slowly." Ignis brought a glass of water to Noct's lips, slowly tipping it so he could drink it easily. The water helped Noctis wake up more and as soon as he could speak without feeling like his throat had gone walking through a desert, he asked, "Is Dad alright?" Gladio nodded, "Your dad is fine, you saved his life by jumping in as you did. He woke up three days ago."

"Three days?" exclaimed Noct, shocked. Ignis placed the now empty glass on the side before he explained, "It's been 4 days since your fishing trip with your father. Both of you were suffering from hypothermia when you were found by Gladio and Lord Clarus." Prompto nodded and said, "You scared all of us! Ignis couldn't believe it when his phone just disappeared into the Armiger while he was waiting for Gladio to call him with news. Then Gladio called me on his dad's phone and we were looking all over the place for the things you needed to get."

Prompto leaned forward, wrapping his arm gently around Noctis' waist and laying his head on Noct's lap, "I'm glad you're okay Noct." Noctis smiled, moving a tired arm over to rest against Prompto's hair. He looked at Ignis and Gladio, given all of his boyfriends a tired smile, "Sorry for making you worry." Gladio smiled back and gave Noct a soft kiss, "Sorry for not getting to you sooner." He ignored the scowl that Noctis gave him at the self-recrimination.

Ignis hummed and waited to give Noctis his own kiss and leaning to grant Prompto one as well, "I've sent word to his Majesty that you woke up. I expect he will try to arrive here quickly. Do you require anything?" The adviser and caretaker asked softly. Noctis shook his head, "I don't think so. It'll be nice to see Dad after all that. Does he say why he ended up in the water like that?"

Ignis and Gladio shared a look that told Noctis there was some kind of trouble brewing, they seemed uncertain as to whether to say anything on the matter to Noctis. Prompto sighed, "Guys just tell him." Ignis sighed and nodded, turning to look at Noctis before speaking, "It appears the cause of his Majesty's sudden swim was due to the attack from Niflheim on the Wall."

Noctis frowned, "An attack shouldn't have caused such a reaction from him." Ignis nodded and continued, "Yes but it would appear Niflheim has developed a new weapon. A sort of cannon that fired a wave of energy at the Wall and punched right through it." Noctis jerked up, regretting it as his body reminded the teen he was in no shape to move. Gladio and Prompto were quick to push him back into his pillows, "Woa there Noct, you need to rest." Prompto reminded him.

Noctis growled, "How can I relax when Niflheim can break through the Wall?" Gladio shifted to sit beside Noctis, bringing the teen to lean against him instead and the Shield put his head on top of Noct's gently. "It might have packed a punch but it didn't last long. The Wall restored itself too quickly for any damage to be done to the city. Unfortunately it did scare a lot of people and took its toll on his Majesty." Gladio told Noctis.

Noctis felt his hands being taken, one by Ignis and one by Prompto. Each of them looking at him with comforting smiles and Noctis allowed himself to sink into Gladio's arms. Ignis said, "In any case, Ravus and the Glaives were quick to destroy this new machine and have brought back the remains to the University." Prompto shifted excitedly, "I got to go check it out! It's pretty ingenious but honestly they're trying to go too brute force with that tech. I'm trying to see if I can reverse the polarity of the energy wave and use it as an augment–thingy for magic."

Noctis smiled and hummed as he listened to Prompto talk about his plans for the new machinery and how it would help Lucis. He laughed as Ignis teased Gladio over his hovering while Noctis was tuck in his river induced fever dreams only for Gladio to tease him right back. He smiled at all of them as they kept him awake without tiring him until his dad could get here.

When the king walked into his son's room, it was to see him smiling and talking with his friends. The sight in itself sent a wave of relief through his body. "Noctis," Regis called out softly, "I am glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

Noctis tried to straighten at the sound of his dad's voice but his body was still too exhausted to allow him to move quickly or easily. Gladio grumbled as he helped Noctis move back to his pillows then allowed the king to take his place by his son's side. Noctis smiled at his dad, "Like a behemoth decided to use me as a chew toy."

Regis smiled, wordlessly thanking Gladio for moving and taking Noct's hand in his own. "Understandable, you were very sick." Regis blinked away tears of relief and smiled at his son, grateful to see him awake. Noctis squeezed his dad's hands, "How are you doing Dad?" Regis chuckled, reaching out to brush away some strands of hair from Noct's forehead, "I'm fine thanks to you." He leaned in and kissed his forehead, "What you did was reckless but brave."

Noctis leaned into his dad's touch with a pleased hum; he was having more and more trouble staying awake now that he could see his dad was okay. "Would do it again…" Noct mumbled as his eyes closed. Ignis, Prompto and Gladio had moved away to give the father and son some privacy, something Regis was thankful for as he smiled at the sleepy mumble from Noctis.

A glance at the clock gave Regis an idea and he gently shimmered into the bed beside his son. "Sleep Noct, I'm here." He whispered as he drew Noctis into his arms. Regis needed the comfort of being beside Noctis right now and Noctis seemed to agree as he shifted into his dad's arms. Regis hummed under his breath, old songs Aulea used to sing to their son when he was young. He smiled fondly as he watched Noctis drift peacefully into sleep. Clarus and Ventus could deal with the Council until Noctis felt better.


	31. Home Sweet Home

A/N: Prompto and Noctis are 15 here.

Finding an apartment ended up being much harder than convincing their parents to let them move out. It kinda made sense looking back, having the prince move out of the Citadel was a security nightmare for everyone even with the relative non-aggression between Niflheim and Lucis at the moment. When Noctis had first brought up the idea to his friends, Ignis and Gladio started weighing the pros and cons of the idea.

Prompto had been all for it, going as far as offering to move in with Noctis. Seeing that Noctis was determined to do this, Ignis simply sighed and started looking into appropriate places that would be both safe and allow Noctis and Prompto the independence they wanted. Gladio accompanied Noctis to go pitch the idea to his dad, grinning proudly as Noctis argued with his dad about the merits of such an action.

In the end, Noctis got his dad's permission to move out on the condition he returns once a week to the Citadel for a family supper. Thus began the harder-than-expected quest to find the perfect apartment. Noctis and Prompto sat down with Ignis and Gladio and made an extensive list of thing the apartment had to have.

Prompto grinned excitedly as he taped his pencil on the table, "So whats the most important thing our new place has to have?" He looked at Noct, waiting for his answer. Noctis hummed, head resting on crossed arms, "A huge living room so we can put a big tv and as many gaming systems as we want?" Gladi snorted, turning away to try and hide his laughter but failing as his shoulders shook helplessly.

Noctis gave his Shield a glare then turned to look at Prompto, "What do you think is most important?" Prompto frowned for a moment then smiled again, "Bedrooms with their own bathrooms! I don't want to be stuck waiting for you to be done your beauty routine." Prompto laughed at the pout Noct sent his way but he ended up adding both points to the blank piece of paper anyways.

Ignis sighed, "It will need a decent kitchen since you will have to cook for yourselves." The adviser sent a pointed glanced at Noctis, "I have no worries about Prompto being able to take care of himself but as for you… Try not to force him to do all the cooking, Noct." The prince grinned, "I thought the idea was to have an apartment that will last until I graduate at least. Not one that'll burn down because I cooked."

Ignis sighed at the snarky reply but he couldn't deny Noctis was right. For some reason or another, the prince always burnt everything he had ever attempted to make. "Putting that aside, I have already compiled a list of Crown approved buildings that already have proper security and aren't too far from the Citadel." He pushed forward the stack of apartment listings he had made towards both of the young men.

Prompto grabbed it, knowing that Noct was scowling without even looking at him. Each of the suggested apartments had its own page of pictures of the place, written details of the dimensions and the general area around it. Prompto frowned as he went through them, they all looked nice but they were very close to the Citadel or was rented out by staff members. Going to any of those places would be somewhat counterproductive.

Ignis sighed, "If none of those satisfy either of you then why don't you go apartment hunting with Gladio tomorrow?" Gladio jerked up, "What? Why me?" Ignis glared at him and pointed out, "You haven't offered anything to this conversation. The least you can do is take them to look around for something they might like. I will have another list of places that have free apartments prepared." Prompto chuckled and returned the papers to Ignis, "Sorry Iggy, you worked hard on this but it's just…" Too close to the Citadel right?" Ignis finished, smiling gently, "I thought as much but these were offered to us first. I had to present them to be allowed to go look elsewhere."

The rest of the evening was spent adding different things to the growing list of necessities for the perfect apartment that Noctis and Prompto will share. The list included being close to an arcade, a nice view, an open kitchen to the living room and even a pool and gym within the building. The gym and pool was something Prompto insisted on since he wanted to keep working out the same way he had been for the last few years.

Gladio picked them up on Saturday morning, Ignis' list of places to see in hand, and brought them to the one farthest from the Citadel to start with. The apartment they saw was very nice but the walls weren't thick enough to mask all the noise of the families living around the building. They left to go see the next one, which didn't have a well-equipped gym, then the next, not enough windows.

They stopped to eat lunch, meeting up with Ignis at a small dinner before continuing on their quest to find a place that fit their desires. The afternoon was spent with Ignis joining them but with no more luck then their initial visits in the morning. The places all had some kind of flaw that made it unappealing to the younger men as they looked around. It just didn't feel right.

By the time they needed to return to the Citadel, the four teens had gone through all of the pre-approved apartments Ignis had been able to find with the help of the Citadels staff and returned empty handed. Noctis threw himself on his couch the moment he walked back into the Royal Quarters, "Unbelievable, all those places and none of them were good." He groaned in disbelief.

Prompto shuffled to sit beside Noctis, "There are plenty of other places to look at, we only saw 9 places today, in all of Insomnia. That's not a lot." Noctis sighed, straightening on the couch only to place himself on Prompto's lap, "Still sucks since it means we'll have to do this all over again." Prompto laughed, carting his fingers through Noct's hairs.

Ignis and Gladio watched them from the other couch, sharing amused glances. The two had always been rather physical in their affection to each other, Prompto being that way with everyone but it was rarer for Noct to do so. Ignis spoke, "It will take a while before another list can be made and we might not find anything that have all of your requirements so do keep that in mind." Both Prompto and Noct shrugged from their positions.

Summer vacations meant that there was no school for anyone but it didn't prevent Noctis from having to study or take part in council meetings as part of his duties as Prince. It also meant that Ignis and Gladio were just as busy, either accompanying the prince in his daily duties or doing their own duties. Prompto found himself, more often than not, wandering through Insomnia with his camera or going to work at the growing Immigration Center.

It's on one of the days where Prompto has a commission from a Glaive to take some pictures of his family that Prompto ends up seeing the handwritten announcement, **Open Condo Visit 3** **rd** **Floor 307** , which peeks his attention. He glanced at the clock on his phone, plenty of time before he has to get back home, and he decides it's worth a look. The announcement gives the address of a mixed shopping and residential building that's halfway between their school and the Citadel and is mere moments away from their favorite hangout places.

Prompto grinned, location wise this was the best place yet. He passed through the first two floors, those dedicated to various shops ranging from gaming to a speciality food grocer. Prompto found other hand written posters of the same announcement guiding him until he reached the doors guarded by a security guard.

The stern looking woman looked at Prompto with sharp eyes and asks, "Can I help with something boy?" Prompto smiles shyly and replies, "I saw the posters about the open visit for a condo?" The security guard nodded and jerked her thumb towards the doors behind her, "I see, well just go through these doors and head up to the 3rd floor through the elevator. Turn left and it's the last door on the right." Prompto perked up and beamed a smile at the lady, "Thank you!" The guard grinned back and waved him through the door as she opened it for him.

The elevator ride is fast and smooth and Prompto found himself quickly arriving at his destination where a casually dressed man is leaning against the door with a slightly bored expression. "Hello? I'm here about the open condo?" Prompto asked. The man straightened instantly, eyes roaming over Prompto for a moment with great expectations before it turned into confusion.

"You seem a bit young to be looking for a condo but if you want to look around I have nothing else to do right now." The man extended his hand towards Prompto, "My name is Ajay. Nice to meet you Mr…?" Prompto hurried to grab the offered hand and shook it, "Just Prompto is fine. My friend and I are looking for a place to share while we go to Captio High. The budget isn't much of a problem." Ajay nodded then motioned for Prompto to go through the door.

Prompto does so and find himself staring at what lies in front of him. As soon as he walks in, the living room is laid bare with large windows allowing sunlight to pore in and illuminate everything. High ceilings that would allow even Gladio to jump around without worrying about hitting his head and a newly refurbished kitchen attached to the living room gave Prompto a welcoming feeling that he hadn't gotten from anywhere else.

The condo had three large rooms that could be used either as bedrooms or office space and one of these had a private bathroom attached. There was a second bathroom in the condo along with a large storage area, a speaker system and 24h security in the building itself. When Prompto mentioned working out Ajay closes the door and brought him to the top floor of the building where the whole floor was a dedicated gym area with almost every kind of machine and tool one could want to work out and a pool that was opened every day and was overseen by professional lifeguards.

The place was perfect! Prompto grinned as he got Ajay's business card and the number for the rental contract if he wanted to rent the place before hurrying back to the Citadel, brimming with excited energy and dying to tell Noct about the little piece of heaven he just found.

When Prompto burst into Noct's place, he find his friends still working on Crown stuff and doesn't hesitate to interrupt, "Noct! Noct! I found it!" Prompto almost jumped on Noctis in his excitement, eyes twinkling with excitement. Noct looked up, amused at how excited Prompto was, and asked, "Found what?" Prompto pouted as he dropped beside Ignis on the couch and placed the business card and condo information on the table, "The perfect place for us! It's on top of that shopping center we always walk by to the arcade after school and it's just perfect!"

The announcement draws everyone attention and Ignis reaches out to take the card and paper with a thoughtful hum. "Is that so?" The adviser quickly typed the name of the renting company and the number for the condo in his computer and starts looking through the information there. Noctis and Gladio badgered Prompto for details on the place and Prompto is quick to sing its praises with a wide smile.

3 days later, Noctis, Prompto, Gladio and Ignis are visiting the condo and less than an hour afterwards Noct is signing the rent and Ajay is signing a non-disclosure and privacy agreement with his company's lawyer as they worked through the last few details on matters such a rent and the hiring of some crownguards as extra security. The moving in date is set two weeks from then to allow for minor alterations and security upgrades, all paid by the Crown, to be done.

The moving in was messy and chaotic despite Ignis' best attempts to keep everything civilized and organised. The furniture had been delivered in advance, a complete set of new things for both Noctis and Prompto. The blond spends most of his time taking pictures and running a live commentary on his kwehter feed about moving out to share a condo with his best friend. A kwehter feed that is followed by a lot of people since it's the official kwehter feed of the Prince's best friend.

Thankfully it wasn't like it was a secret that Noctis had decided to move out of the Citadel, the king having released an official statement about it when Noctis had first asked about doing so; almost a month ago but the location and security measures in place were all kept secret for his protection. Prompto dragged Noctis into taking a selfie with him to post online, being careful not to let anything distinctive show up in the background before he posted it.

Gladio grinned at Ignis' sigh, shifting the three boxes of stuff that belonged to his Prince in his arms, and remarked, "Come on, we both knew this was going to happen. Just let them have fun for now." Ignis groaned but he had the hint of a smile on his lips as he watched Noctis and Prompto laughing at something someone had kwehted at them, "I suppose it's not every day one moves out of their home for the first time." Ignis turned and stared at Gladio, "Do be careful with those."

It takes most of the day to get things settled down, Gladio and Ignis staying until late to help clean up and install everything where it should be before they both left. Prompto smiled as he closed and locked the door with a hint of excitement and worry, he hoped he wouldn't get homesick too quickly. A hand brushed against his back, the familiar feel of it sending shivers down through him.

Noctis smiled as he pressed his lips on the back of Prompto's neck, rubbing small circles with one hand. He leaned forward until his mouth was right beside Prompto's ear and he practically purred, "We're finally alone Prom. Alone and with no one to walk in on us…" The words and the touch had Prompto gasping and feeling heat pool between his legs. Noctis chuckled, tugging Prompto away from the door as he declared, "I think it's time we consecrate our new home don't you?"

Prompto stared at Noctis and swallowed, looks like homesickness is just going to have to wait.


	32. Prompto's First

A/N: Prompto is 14

Prompto wakes up early on most day, eager to get up and join Gladio for a run or Ignis to make breakfast. Today though, Prompto is up early for a completely different reason. He has a date! Prompto is grinning as soon as he opens his eyes, looking at the time on his alarm clock, 5:30 am, and starts planning what he has to do before his date.

First is his usual run with Gladio, the older teen had promised Prompto to help him choose where to bring his date. After that, Prompto would come back home and eat breakfast with his parents and shower before heading over to help Ignis and Noctis with putting together some kind of fancy invitation for a party.

Ignis had been adamant in helping Prompto choose what he would be wearing for his date and Noctis had insisted Prompto stay with him until he had to leave. Prompto grinned as he pushed himself up and started his morning ritual. A quick bite to eat with a glass of orange juice and Prompto was ready to meet with Gladio for his run.

They usually met by the east entrance of the Citadel, the one closest to the Amicitia mansion, and then run one of three routes that wound through the area near the Citadel. Prompto jogged over to the meeting spot and waved as soon as Gladio's large frame came into view, "Gladio!"

Gladio grinned and waved back, "Hey Prom! Ready for your date?" He asked when the blond arrived beside him. Prompto shifted from one foot to the other, "Kinda? I mean I'm really nervous about it but also really excited!" Gladio grinned and clapped his back, "It'll be fine Prompto. I just know it. Come on, I want to show you something."

Prompto blushed a bit at Gladio's word but quickly followed him as they started jogging down the street. They fell into a comfortable and familiar rhythm to start with, both of them simply breathing and jogging in the cool morning air. It wasn't until Gladio motioned for Prompto to follow him that the young teen spoke, "Where are we going?"

Gladio grinned, "Someplace you might like to go with your date this afternoon. Just follow me and you'll see." Prompto pouted but did as Gladio asked and followed him through the narrower streets branching from their usual jogging routes. His silence lasted only a few minutes before Prompto asked, "So… You went on a date before right?"

Gladio glanced over to his jogging partner, slightly amused by the hesitant tone of the question, "Ya, several of them. Why are you asking?" Prompto faltered for a step before getting back into his rhythm and he mumbled, "What's it like?" Gladio shot a confused look at Prompto and he had to ask, "What was what like?"

PRompto ducked his head and Gladio could see the blush creeping up his neck and face. Prompto shot Gladio a look that was half embarrassment and half anger before he managed to clarify, "Kissing? It'S what people expect at the end of a date right?" Gladio was startled into stopping where he stood and staring at Prompto in shock.

Prompto was a bit slower to stop and he stared at Gladio in confusion before blushing an even darker red before mumbling, "Forget it…" Gladio couldn't though and he reached out to gently turn Prompto until he was facing Gladio. "Hey, you know you don't have to do anything you don't want to right? If you don't want to kiss them then don't." Prompto looked a bit surprised and Gladio made a mental note to find the idiot who had told Prompto differently.

Gladio waited a bit, keeping an eye on the blonde's expression, before he continued, "Look a date is a way to get to know someone better. You talk about thing you like, ask about thing they like and see if you have enough in common to go for another one. That's all. Just be yourself and respect them and you'll be fine Prompto. Even if you don't end it with a kiss." He added the last bit as a tease and smiled victoriously when Prompto looked up in shock before laughing.

"Thanks big guy! Now, how long is it going to take to get to the place?" Prompto said as he grinned up to look at Gladio. Gladio had to fight down the sudden and inexplicable thought of 'Too pure' and the blush that threatened to rise at the sight. He used the excuse of Prompto's question to turn away from the cheerful blond and glance down toward the near intersection before he answered, "Shouldn't be long. You good to keep going then?'

Prompto hummed and nodded, "Yup! I'm so glad you're my friend Gladio. You're always there if I need help with something." He turned around and started jogging down the street, unaware of the impact his words had on Gladio. It took the older teen several moments of outright staring at Prompto, red faced and stunned into silence, before he finally ran to catch up to his friend.

"Come on, the place is over here." Gladio said after they had jogged another little while. He slowed down and walked into a small street, Eloise, before stopping in front of a small house, lost among a sea of similar places. There was a small wooden sign carved with a name, "Blue Sky Café?" Wondered Prompto out loud.

Gladio nodded and replied cheekily, "Came here a few times with my dates, figured you'd like it." Prompto turned to look questionably at Gladio. The older teen shifted in light embarrassment and explained, "It's one of those pet cafés that was all the rage a few years ago. You can go and play with animals, anything from the usual cat and dogs to reptiles or birds. The food and drinks there are pretty good too."

Prompto stared at Gladio then slowly his shock turned to joy and he was beaming from happiness. Prompto threw himself at Gladio to hug the big guy as hard as he could while babbling, "Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you! It's perfect!"

Gladio awkwardly returned the hug, his earlier blush returning at the sudden reaction from his friend. Gladio cleared his throat, it felt suddenly tight and his body just a touch too warm for it to be from their jogging, and simply said, "You're welcome Prom. We're friends after all."

The rest of their jog went by quickly as Prompto asked Gladio a thousand and one question about the café. Questions ranging from the price to whether or not it had a dress code or needed reservations to enter, Gladio did his best to keep up with the barrage of questions as he answered as many as he could before they separated at the end of their morning jog.

Prompto hummed excitedly as he returned to his home and was greeted by his parents as soon as he entered. "Morning Prom, how did your run go?" Asked Sylva. Prompto grinned and replied, "Great! Gladio showed this really nice café for my date later on. He's so nice and thoughtful!" Sylva chuckled and motioned for Prompto to join them for a proper breakfast.

It was about 9 am when Prompto showed up at Ignis' office door, something Prompto still couldn't believe Ignis had gotten as a birthday present from his uncle, and knocked on it. Ignis was quick to answer the door, smiling at Prompto as he invited him in. "Thank you for coming to help Prompto. I know you'd probably rather be doing other things but I do appreciate the help."

Prompto waved off the concern from Ignis easily, "No worries Iggy, I wouldn't have offered to help if I didn't want to do it. So what do you need me to do?" Ignis walked over to the long table set off on one of the walls of the office and motioned at the papers and envelops on it, "It's nothing very hard, I simply need to put each invitation into its proper envelop. They are each marked for a specific person and is, unfortunately, a rather long and tedious process."

Prompto walked over and stared, there had to be a few hundred letters on the table! He whistled and gently took the first letter in hand, it was addressed to a Count Collis. Prompto hummed and asked, "So…How do you want to do this?" Ignis turned to Prompto with a slightly confused expression, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean Prompto."

Prompto looked down and blushed before he explained, "Well… I figured we can make this easier by working together. Are the letters and envelops organised in some way?" Ignis turned to the table and frowned thoughtfully before answering, "Not that I know of. The letters were written by the PR department and his Majesty and his Highness both signed them as they were given to them. As for the envelops, they were simply delivered as you see there, in a box."

Prompto nodded as Ignis explained and put the letter back on the table before turning to Ignis and proposing, "Then let's make this easier! We need to sort both of these into some kind of order and then we won't have to run around looking for the matching thing." Ignis' eyes widen in surprised and he found himself smiling delightfully at Prompto.

"That is a wonderful idea Prompto! I should have thought of it myself." Ignis declared as he reached over to lay a hand on Prompto's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. Ignis looked at the papers and decided, "Let us separate them by title then alphabetically. Several of the nobles have multiple titles within one family and it would not do to send the wrong letter accidently."

Prompto grinned and nodded, "Got it! Do you want the letters or the envelops?" He turned to look at Ignis and then added, "Also… Do you mind if we have some music while we work?" Ignis turned to smile at his young friend and quietly said, "I wouldn't mind some music if you'd be so kind as to set it up for me. As for the sorting this mess, I'll take the letters if that is agreeable with you?"

Prompto nodded with a grin and bounced off to use Ignis' computer to set up a playlist of songs he knew both of them would enjoy. They set up the table and got to work sorting through the pile of invitations in a comfortable companionship. Ignis hummed to himself as one of his favorite songs came on and he was pleasantly surprised to hear Prompto start singing the words as he moved the envelops from one side of the table to one of the growing piles on the other side.

The song was an old Tenebraen ballad, the words sung in the old dialect that existed almost exclusively in the northern regions of the now-imperial province. Ignis was stunned as Prompto sang without care, almost as though he wasn't aware doing so, the lyrics without ever faltering or misspeaking one of the words.

As the song ended, Ignis asked soflty, "Where did you learn to sing that?" The questions startled Prompto, who jumped and dropped the envelop he had been holding in his hand. The blond dropped to the floor to grab it in a near panic before he answered Ignis' question, "I kinda just did I guess… I knew you liked that singer so I ended up listening to her and it just, " Prompto shrugged, "happened. It's really relaxing but the beat is steady so it's perfect to help me concentrate on stuff."

Ignis stared with renewed surprise at Prompto, his heart was beating faster than it had before the surprising confession from the young man. Ignis cleared his throat, feeling the beginning of a blush creeping up his neck, "I see, I apologise for startling you Prompto. I was simply surprised by your talent. I had no idea you could sing."

Prompto shuffled embarrassingly in place, a hand creeping to rub the back of his neck, "I can't really though. I just repeated what I heard and that's it." The next song came on and Prompto looked up in excitement, "Oh I love this one!" It was a very upbeat song that seemed to fit Prompto very well in Ignis' opinion.

The royal adviser mentally berated himself at the way his mind seemed to be grabbing at everything Prompto was doing. Even the way he was tapping his fingers on the envelop to the beat seemed oddly cute to Ignis at the moment. He had the overwhelming urge to grab Prompto and put him somewhere where he would always be happy and safe as he was now.

It took a while before Ignis managed to bring his thoughts back to his task but between Prompto and himself, sorting the papers went fairly smoothly. It still took a while, long enough that a half awake Noctis showed up with sleep tussled hair and an equally sleepy grin.

Prompto bounced over to give Noct a good morning hug, "Morning sleepy head! Did you get plenty of rest?" Noct leaned into the hug with a pleased sigh and nodded, "Better than most nights anyways." He yawned, turning his head away from Prompto, then looked at the table, "Ugh there's so much stuff to do…"

Prompto laughed and brought Noct over to the table and sat him down on a chair, "You can seal the envelops once we match the letters to them." Noctis nodded, it was something simply that wouldn't require him to think too much.

Ignis greeted Noctis as he sat down, "Good morning, Noctis. Have you eaten?" Noctis returned the greeting wordlessly and nodded at the question. Ignis smiled in amusement at his prince before returning his attention to the work. Now that the letters and envelops were sorted properly, it became much simpler to ensure the proper letter was put in the right envelop to be sent later.

Noctis woke up a bit more by the time they were a quarter of the way done and turned to look at Prompto with a puzzled expression, "Isn't today your date day?" Prompto nodded, looking a bit stressed at the reminder. Noct reached out to pat Prompto on the back, "It'll be fine, you'll see. Did you decide on where you were going?"

Prompto nodded, biting his lip nervously before he answered his friend, "Ya, Gladio showed me a place this morning that looks pretty amazing. He said he usually goes there with his dates so… If it's good for him, I figured it would work for me too, you know?" He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Noct and Ignis, slightly worried about what they might say.

Ignis stopped moving for a second before he asked gingerly, "And what is the name of this establishment?" He was fairly certain he knew exactly what it was but having Prompto confirm it would be best. Prompto replied with nervous energy, "Blue Sky Café!"

Noctis perked up at the name, turning to look at Prompto and wondering out loud, "Isn't that the pet café place that's not far from here?" When Prompto nodded, Noctis frowned a bit. It felt strange to see Prompto be so nervous and yet happy about something that didn't involve him. Noctis wasn't sure he liked it.

Ignoring the weird thoughts fluttering in his mind, Noctis grinned and asked, "So… What are you going to do exactly? Just going out to grab something to drink seems like a boring date even if it's at a pet café." He watched with a bit of remorse as Prompto suddenly stopped, mouth dropping open in horror at his words.

"Oh no! Noct! What am I going to do? What if I bore them?" Prompto whispered horrified as he looked at Noct for answers. Noctis was quick to get up and try and calm Prompto down, "Wow! It's going to be alright Prom! I'm sure they'll love the place and the date no matter what!" Noctis shot a plea to help toward Ignis.

Ignis smiled and calmly said, "I agree with Noctis. I'm sure everything will go fine and I'm quite certain they would not have asked you out if you were boring to them." The words from both Ignis and Noctis seemed to help. Prompto didn't look quite as horrified or panicked but he still looked quite nervous.

Ignis hummed thoughtfully and suggested, "Would you like to go over the details of your date to ensure you have everything ready?" Prompto nodded at the suggestion, "Please?" the blond asked hesitantly. Noctis patted him on the back and smiled, "Of course Prom, it's important to you so it's important to us too. Where should we start?"

Noct leaned on the table as he looked at Prompto with fondness, now that some of his worries were safely pushed away, his friend looked nervous but it was a good kind of nervous, one tinged in excitement. Prompto picked up another envelop to hand to Ignis before he spoke, "Umm, Iggy said he'd help me pick what to wear so…maybe that first?"

Ignis nodded, taking the envelop from Prompto while allowing their hands to brush more than necessary, a small gesture of comfort. Ignis thought about their destination and suggested, "I would suggest comfortable and light colored since the presence of pets means dirt and fur that will likely stand out on dark clothes."

Prompto nodded, frowning as he considered the options. He took out his phone in one hand and started flipping through the pictures. Ignis shot Noct and confused look before moving to look over Prompto shoulder at the small screen. "You take pictures of your clothes?" He asked surprised.

Prompto blushed and nodded, "Noct suggested it, said it might help me remember what I have when I'm shopping or trying to plan my outfits." Ignis smiled and tapped the screen after Prompto swipped through a few more pictures of his clothes. "This one is perfect and will go perfectly with the pants you wore last Friday or something of similar color."

Prompto grinned, turning his head to beam a grateful smile at Ignis, "Thanks Iggy! I think Dad washed it so I should be able to wear it." He move around Ignis to go show Noct the shirt Ignis had picked, "Here, what do you think Noct?" The prince looked at the picture, it was a plain blue button up shirt. He nodded sagely and said, "I think it's good too. When are you meeting them?"

Prompto grinned and poked Noctis to remind him they were supposed to be helping Ignis, "Around 1 this afternoon. We're meeting up at the park near Sundown and Hillford." The blond grinned as he thought about meeting them there, he had butterflies in his stomach but it wasn't as bad as the time he first tried to talk with Noct, more like the time he and Noct had sneaked out of the Citadel to go watch a meteor shower without telling anyone.

Noct pouted and swatted at Prom in retaliation for the poke but he did return to helping Ignis with sealing the envelops with the royal seal of the Lucis Caelum's. He turned the conversation away from the date, it was bothering him seeing Prompto so happy about going to meet someone else but at the same time he was also happy and it was so confusing!

The three boys met up with Gladio for a quick lunch before Prompto headed back home to get ready for his date. He had plenty of time but Prompto wanted to be ready and there early just in case something happened. Prompto showered again, got dressed in the shirt and pants Ignis had picked out and then headed off with the sounds of his parents wishing him a wonderful time with his date.

Prompto was practically bouncing with every step as he headed toward the park, he was a few minutes early but Prompto didn't mind waiting when it was such a great day. The sun was shining, a soft wind was blowing and people were out and about doing their own business with smiles. It was perfect!

Prompto took out his camera and took some pictures as he waited. "Prompto!" a voioce called out to him. Prompto grinned and turned around to see Luminari Elisea walking up to him in a purple and silver dress. Prompto greeted her, "Hey Luminari! You look good in that dress." Luminari blushed as she moved to stand in front of Prompto, "Thank you Prompto. You also look very nice."

They both smiled awkwardly at each other before Prompto asked, "So…I thought we could go to Blue Sky Café if you're okay with that?" Luminari smiled and nodded, ""Sure that sounds great actually." They grinned at each other before starting to walk towards the nearby café, Luminari asking Prompto about the pictures he had been taking.

As they walked side by side, Prompto occasionally stopped to take a picture of something that he liked, Luminari giving suggestion as a fellow amateur photographer as to what filters or the angle to use. Prompto grinned as he shifted as Luminari suggested to get a better angle on the light when he spotted someone who looked quite familiar. He blinked and the figure was gone… Prompto could have sworn he had just seen Gladio looking straight at him from behind the corner of the house at the end of the street but it couldn't be right?

Prompto put the idea out of his head just as quickly as it had entered; there was no way Gladio would be here anyways. He took the picture for Luminari and got back up, showing it to her before putting his camera away. It took twice as long as it normally would have but Prompto had a good time just talking about photography with his date.

As they walked up to the entrance to the café, Prompto noticed a sharp movement out of the corner of his eye. He took out his camera and told Luminari, "Sorry I almost forgot I wanted to take a picture of you beside the sign. Do you mind?" Luminari grinned and shook her head, "Of course not Prompto. But you have to send me a copy." Prompto chuckled and turned around, using the movement to hide the way his eyes roamed over the street in search of what he had seen. There!

Prompto frowned as he directed Luminari into standing beside the wood carved sign, this time he was certain he saw Ignis peering at him from behind a tree. What was going on? Prompto had to push his thoughts away while he took the picture but they returned as the pair entered into the café.

Maybe it was just a coincidence? It had to be, Prompto decided as he allowed Luminari to choose which room they would spend their time in. Luminari ended up choosing the bird room and Prompto was glad she did. The room was made purely of glass and trees and flowers, the birds of many colors and types being allowed to fly freely around the large room.

"This is amazing!" Prompto gushed as he stepped into the room, Luminari just as amazed as he was. The noble girl nodded once and whispered, "It's almost like a fairy tale." To which Prompto grinned and teased, "Guess that makes you the princess." Luminari blushed, making Prompto realize just what he had said and blush also. He was so caught up in the embarrassment that he almost missed the teasing reply from his date, "Guess that makes you my Prince…"

The two looked away from each other, blushing as they made their way to a table and used the newly installed computer system to place their orders. The awkward feeling was soon replaced by excitement and comfortable talk as birds flew down to chirp at them. Prompto laughed as the chocochick chirped at him for food and cuddles, something Prompto gleefully did.

He straightened with the small chocobo in hand and stilled for a moment. Again? Prompto buried his frown into the soft feathers and wondered why Irine, one of the kingsglaive that he knew very well, would be hanging out around the area and looking into the glass bird room. Luminari got his attention and Prompto pushed the slight paranoia, it had to be just his imagination, out of mind to focus on his date.

They stayed for a few hours, taking turn with Prompto's camera and the birds flying around them, before leaving the Blue Sky Café with the firm intention to return soon for a photoshoot with a fairy tale theme. Prompto asked Luminari, "So where do you want to go now?"

Luminari smiled and replied, "Why don't we just walk around for a bit?" She brushed her hand against Prompto's and whispered, "Can we?" Prompto blushed again and nodded, gently tangling his hand with hers as they walked in comfortable silence for a while. It was still early in the day and they soon found themselves walking hand in hand through one of the many shopping malls of the district.

It was a strange walk for Prompto though. It seemed as though he kept seeing people he knew, people who looked slightly out of place in the mall. The young teen didn't know whether to be amused, paranoid or just annoyed with every new sighting.

They still took time to stop and take pictures of everything and anything that got their attention. From nice clothes to people sharing an ice cream, Prompto's camera shifted hands every few steps and they had fun playing with different filters and setting just to see what would happen.

Luminari chuckled suddenly while passing by a shop before tugging Prompto closer to her by the hand and she got up to her toes to whisper in his ear, "I want to show you something, it has to stay a secret okay?" Prompto blushed at the feeling of her breath on his ear and her proximity but nodded none the less. Luminari laughed as she dropped back to her feet and tugged Prompto into a nearby dress shop.

Prompto allowed himself to be directed through the rows of beautiful dresses until they reached the back of the store. Luminari didn't stop though. She headed straight to the wall and pushed against a darker patch of the wall. Her hand sunk into it and Prompto realised he was looking at a piece of fabric, stretched down with weights to mimic the appearance of a wall.

Luminari laughed, "It's one of those secret shops that exist in Insomnia. It's not advertised anywhere but anyone who can find it can get in to shop. It has its own exit too, to keep people from finding the entrance just by looking at people coming and going from a place."

Prompto stared at the sight beyond the fake wall and at Luminari, "That's so cool! How did you find it?" Luminari laughed and tugged Prompto through what turned out to be an handmade accessory shop, filled with jewelry, belts, bracelets and all kinds of neat handmade accessories of all kinds! He listened to Luminari as she talked, grinned and asking more questions as they walked out of the secret shop and back into the streets of Insomnia.

Prompto grinned, this was the best first date he could have imagined! He looked at Luminari, smiling and almost glowing with happiness in the sunlight and Prompto thought that maybe, just maybe he was falling in love with her.

Prompto grinned and asked suddenly, "Luminari? Can I kiss you?" She smiled, nodded and leaned forward towards Prompto. He did the same, nervous about this, his first kiss. He could feel the heat of her skin and the brush of her breath as they drew closer until…. "Ouch!" shouted Prompto as he slipped and fell backwards unto his back. Luminari stood above him surprised before breaking down into laughter, soon followed by Prompto.

"Guess someone doesn't want us to kiss just yet." Prompto joked as he got up. Luminari nodded, giggling, "Guess so." She smiled at him, "I had a really good time Prompto. Let's do this again okay?" Prompto grinned and nodded, "Sounds like a date. I also had a good time too." Luminari laughed and said, "Good, let's head back then. Mom's expecting me back soon anyways."

Prompto walked with her until they reached the noble district, bidding her goodbye before heading back to the Citadel. He was just itching to have a chat with a few people but for now, it was time to head home and have fun looking through his pictures and talking with his parents about his date.

Bonus scene:

Prompto was lying in bed, looking at the pictures of his date with Luminari and trying to select the best ones to send to her. He flicked to the next picture and frowned, "Is that?" he muttered to himself. Prompto played with the zoom and some of the setting and almost dropped his camera as he recognized what he was seeing. "What the?" he exclaimed before quickly flicking through his pictures. There, there and even that one?

Prompto groaned as he buried his head in his pillow, he was going to kill them! He glanced over to his camera and felt a smile tug at his lips, no he wasn't going to kill him even if he was mad at them. After all, the only explanation for this was them being worried about him. But still, Prompto took his camera back in hand and looked at the pictures, beaming as he noticed the people who appeared every so often in the edge of the pictures.

Cor's reflection on the glass behind Luminari, Ravus sitting on a bench, a few glaives Prompto recognizes from the days he helps Dad or goes around taking pictures of things. In almost a third of pictures, there was someone Prompto knew looking at him with worry and fondness clear in their posture or eyes.

Through all of his date, someone had been close by keeping an eye on him. It was sweet in an over protective way and Prompto was definitively going to have a talk with them about this but…. For now he enjoyed the warmth the pictures gave him. Scolding his uncle and Ravus could wait until after he had some fun teasing them about it.

A/N: I admit to having way too much fun writing this. Gladio and Ignis have the first taste of the changing relationship with Prompto while Noctis starts dealing with his own emotions towards his best friend. And everyone just wants to see the blond chocobo be happy and safe.


	33. I'll sleep when I'm dead

A/N: This is very Ignis centric and inspired by a prompt that was given by Frozenhearts with a twist. FYI Prompto's drabble is a bit nsfw, no explicit descriptions but implied sexual activities.

1) Cor (Ignis age 14)

Cor groaned as he straightened from his hunched position. He glanced at the clock and groaned again, "Damn it, it's that late already." He leaned back and raised his arms over his head to stretch the sore muscles of his back.

Cor looked down at the mountain of paperwork resting on his desk and grimaced, muttering to himself, "It can wait until tomorrow…" The Marshal groaned in annoyance when getting up made his back twinge painfully. It hadn't been too long since his return from Taelpar Crag and while the potions and care from everyone had allowed his injuries to heal quickly, it didn't completely prevent residual pain from occurring.

At least it allowed him the chance to catch up on the mountain of paperwork that came from being the second in command of the Crownguards and acting Commander of the Kingsglaives. Not to mention the paperwork Regis and Clarus added to the pile as punishment for making them worry.

Cor smiled fondly, grateful for the late hour and privacy that allowed him to shed the mask of strict Marshall. He grabbed his things and left the office quickly, wanting nothing more than a proper meal and a good shower before crashing into bed.

The soldier walked through the dark halls of the Citadel, nodding in reply to the salutes from the guards stationed around and the rare quiet that came from the late hour. Cor stopped at a cross section, trying to remember if he had any food in his apartment in the Citadel or if it was still empty except for the box of cereal, milk and a few beers.

With a sigh, Cor headed towards the kitchen, he wasn't sure if he had anything and didn't want to deal with getting back to his place only to have to walk out again. The number of guards he passed by dropped the closer he got to the staff-only area of the Citadel, leaving Cor to walk alone through the last few halls.

He frowned as he turned around the corner into the hall leading to the double metal doors that lead into the industrial sized kitchen. The doors were opened a fraction and light spilled onto the floor. Cor stopped and listened, the kitchen was silent so perhaps some errant employee had forgotten to close the doors and the lights before leaving?

It seemed improbable but more so than an intruder entering the kitchen and leaving behind such obvious proof of their passage. Still Cor walked silently to the doors, pressing himself against the cold door and looked through the slit into the kitchen.

The kitchen gleamed under its overhead lights, dirty bowls and utensils strewn over one of the counters Cor could see form his position but no sign of anyone there. Cor frowned as he pushed the door open and slipped in.

The vast kitchen was empty and only that one counter was dirty. Cor frowned and walked over, a soft annoyance starting to rise at whoever had been thoughtless enough to use the kitchen and leave it in such a state.

His thoughts changed the moment he was close enough to see behind the counter and spot the small figure lying on the floor. "Ignis!" He exclaimed, hurrying over to kneel by the boy. Ignis looked unharmed, eyes closed and soft breaths escaping from his open mouth.

The boy's glasses were crooked on his face where his head was pillowed on his arms and Cor reached out to gently shake Ignis once he was sure it would cause any harm. "Ignis? Wake up please." Cor whispered softly, not wanting to startle the young boy awake.

At this distance it was hard to miss the dark circles under Ignis' eyes or the drawn paleness of his skin. Cor's worry increased when he felt his hand touch skin that was just a touch too warm to be normal and the marshall swore as he quickly pressed a hand on Ignis' forehead. No fever thankfully.

Ignis moaned at the touch and his eyes blinked open to stare, unseeing, at Cor over him. Cor tried to smile comfortingly at the obviously exhausted and confused boy. "M…Mar…Shall?" Ignis said half asleep, struggling against the all too present pull of sleep.

Cor nodded and sighed, getting some food could wait until Ignis was back where he should be, in his bed. "It's pretty late Ignis, let's get out back to your uncle alright?" Cor said just as softly as before. Ignis' eyes kept closing then snapping back up but he managed a slow nod and took the hand Cor offered him to get back up.

Ignis stared at the bowls and cooking instruments still littering the counter and muttered, "It's dirty.. Need to clean it." Ignis reached out for one of the bowls and his sleep addled brain caused him to stumble instead.

Cor caught to boy as he fell, easily slipping an arm under Ignis' leg and picking him up with only the slightest tinge of pain in his back. "Easy there, Ignis." Ignis shook his head and reached out as though to go about cleaning while in Cor's arms.

Cor sighed and shifted his grip so he could hold unto Ignis easier, "Ignis, you aren't in any state to clean this up. I'll deal with it later okay?" He moved his arm so he could press Ignis against his chest fully, his lips twitching as Ignis went from trying to escape his arms to clean to snuggling against Cor's chest with a sigh of relief.

Cor frowned as he felt a slight shiver pass through Ignis' body and tightened his grip just a fraction more before whispering, "Alright, let's get you home and to bed." Ignis was already asleep by the time Cor walked out of the kitchen, smiling peacefully as he pressed himself against the comforting warmth and safety that was the Marshall.

2) Gladio (Ignis age 17)

Gladio stepped out of his final exam with a satisfied smirk. He was officially done with high school! Gladio walked to his locker, grinning as he looked with great satisfaction at the mostly empty metal box, and grabbed what was left of his things before texting Iris and his dad a quick message.

The 10 finishing classes of seniors had arranged to rent out a full karaoke bar to celebrate the end of the school year and the exams, and Gladio had every intention of going there and dragging Ignis with him. Gladio's smile dropped a bit as he thought about his boyfriend, Ignis had been taking university classes on top of his high school classes and had spent the last three months managing a seemingly never ending amount of projects, presentations and exams.

They had barely had anytime to see each other outside of the obligatory training sessions and the few minutes in between classes where they could catch a few peaceful moments together. Gladio frowned even more as he recalled the exhausted appearance of Ignis last time he had seen the man, a full three days ago.

Mind decided, Gladio sent a message to Ignis asking if he was done his own exams. An answer came quickly, **I haev. how ddi it go?** , Gladio frowned at the message full of typos, he sent a quick reply and got on his motorbike. It would only take him about 10 minutes to get to Ignis' university from the school and Gladio was certain the man would appreciate not having to take the metro or buses to return to Noct's apartment.

The ride there was thankfully quick and Gladio parked his bike in front of the campus library, the place where Ignis spends most of his time outside of class. He ignored the looks he received as he walked into the building and started looking for Ignis among the stacks of books and research papers.

Gladio walked silently through each floor without finding Ignis among the students sitting around and frowned, where was he? He brought up his phone and sent another text, **At the U Library, where are you?**

The well-built man waited patiently for several minutes for an answer, ignoring the various stares from men and women both, until he growled low in his throat in exasperations. Ignis hadn't replied and now Gladio was really starting to worry. He was about to enter the elevator to go back down to the first floor and ask for an announcement to be made when a kind faced lady approached him shyly.

"I'm sorry but are you by chance Gladiolus Amicitia?" She asked, barely managing to glance at Gladio's face before ducking her head down, her cheeks flushing a light pink. As soon as Gladio nodded she pointed towards a desk piled high with books and papers and whispered, "Mr. Scientia usually studies over there."

Gladio thanked the lady before heading towards the desk with a frown. The books were piled so high that he hadn't seen anyone that might have been working behind them when he glanced around to try and find Ignis.

Gladio was startled as he moved closer and spotted the tell tale dirty blond hair that Gladio knew so intimately. Ignis was firmly asleep, his head on his arms and his glasses askew over his nose. A soft grin made its way unto Gladio's face and he almost didn't want to wake Ignis up.

Instead he settled on taking a picture of the rare event and lean forward to whisper into Ignis' ear, "Ignis, if you don't wake up I'm going to have to ravish you as soon as we find a private spot. You look too adorable and innocent like this. I'm almost jealous." He grinned mischievously as he straightened.

The warmth breath and softly whispered words had Ignis shifting and almost moaning as he woke up. "Gladio?" Ignis whispered sleepily. He pushed himself up, wincing at the headache he was suffering from made itself known again.

Gladio was quick to lean closer to Ignis and asked, "Are you feeling alright Ignis?" Now that his boyfriend was up and exposed to the light, Gladio could see the exhaustion lining his features. Had they not been in public, Gladio would have sweep him off his feet without a second thought but he had to content himself with offering, "If you're done here, I'll drive you back home and spare you the bus."

Ignis smiled wearily and nodded, "I suppose there is little reason for me to stay. Let me just clean the desk a bit and we can go." Gladio nodded back and grabbed some of the books strewn about, ignoring the exasperated look Ignis shot at him.

It didn't take long to carry the books and research papers back to where they could be sorted by the librarians and Gladio guided Ignis to his bike. Gladio grinned beneath his helmet when Ignis encircled his waist and leaned against his back. Gladio knew the moment Ignis nodded off again, arms still firmly in place, and he smiled as he drove through the backstreets of Insomnia instead of risking waking Ignis by driving on the highway.

3) Prompto (Ignis age 20)

Prompto hummed as he walked down the streets of Insomnia, camera in hand. He had a few pictures that Ignis absolutely had to see, pictures of the soon-to-open restaurant Alois and of the food they were planning on serving there.

Prompto grinned, remembering his surprise when he had gotten a message from the restaurant's owner about being their photographer for the menu and interior décor. The price they were willing to pay for his work had been twice as much as he normally asked for and he had spent the last 3 days going to their restaurant with his camera to take pictures of the various menu items for them.

Prompto had been able to sample the dishes on top of taking pictures and had even gotten permission to show the pictures to Ignis. Something he was going to do right now. The blond glanced at the street name and hummed, he was almost there.

He had sent a text to Ignis earlier, letting him know he was going to pass by and had yet to receive a reply. Prompto wasn't worried though, Ignis was busy now that he worked full time at the Citadel as Noct's official adviser. He didn't mind waiting for him, maybe Prompto would be able to cook something for Ignis for once.

Prompto nodded at the security guard, an ex-glaive that had lost a hand several years ago and was now employed as security by the Crown, and headed straight for the elevator. Ignis' apartment is on the 10th floor and had a magnificent view of the city and the Citadel.

Prompto knocked on the door and waited a bit, when no sound came from inside he took out his spare key and entered while humming softly under his breath. He frowned when he saw the shoes by the door, Ignis' were right where he always left them and a quick glance at the entrance showed an office leather bag and his vest hanging by the door.

Prompto called out, "Iggy? Are you here?" and waited, listening carefully for a reply. No sound was heard from within and he frowned again, quickly dropping his shoes by the door and walking further into the apartment.

The kitchen, the only place that really looked somewhat dirty and used, was empty except for a tray of the tenebraen pastries Noctis, Luna and Ravus adored. The living room was just as quiet and Prompto could see the office Ignis kept was unoccupied. That only left the bedroom and the washroom.

Prompto checked the bedroom first, frowning as he took in the unusually messy state of the room. The bed covers were ruffled, there was no clothes laid out in preparation for the next day and a single book was on the floor. Prompto picked it up, gently putting it on the bedside table. Only the washroom left.

Prompto knocked on the closed door before slipping in, smiling at the sight that greeted him inside. Ignis was in a bath, the water still warm if the wisp of vapor Prompto could see was anything to go by. His head was tilted backwards, eyes closed in sleep and his mouth open slightly.

Prompto chuckled and kneeled by the bathtub, crossing his arms over the edge of it and simply laying his head down to stare at Ignis fondly. His dirty blond hair was unstyled and hung heavy with water. His face was adorable in sleep, all relaxed and with just the barest hint of a smile on his lips.

Prompto smiled, reaching out to brush aside a few stray hairs from his face before raising his phone to take a picture for his private collection. Sleeping in the tub wasn't the safest thing but Prompto made sure to check in on Ignis every few minutes as he cleaned the bedroom up a bit.

He even started cooking supper, using the roast meat in the fridge and putting it into the oven at low heat with a sauce and several spices. Once Prompto was satisfied with his work, he returned to the washroom and his kneeling position by the tub. He smiled and reached out to brush his fingers across Ignis' face.

Prompto traced his lips, his eyes and the acne scars he still bore. The blond dipped lower with a hum, allowing his fingers to graze Ignis' adam apple as he made his way to his chest. Fingers danced merely across the firm chest, lithe muscles giving a delightful form to it.

Prompto couldn't help the heat pooling over him as he allowed his fingers to tweak Ignis' nipples before going lower in their quest to wake Ignis up without a word. A soft sigh of pleasure escaped from Ignis' lips and Prompto bit his own to prevent himself from leaning in and kissing Ignis.

Tired eyes blinked open slowly, soft sighs of pleasure and delight now escaping rapidly and summoning Ignis back to the waking world. Prompto grinned without stopping his hands from continuing their exploration.

Ignis smiled languidly and muttered, "Hello Prompto." He made no move to stop his lover and if anything relaxed even more into the touches with delight. Prompto took the wordless consent and lowered one hand in between Ignis' legs before leaning forward and swallowing all the lovely noises from Ignis with his own mouth.

4) Noctis (Ignis age 21)

Noctis wanted to hit his head against the table after three hours of listening to some old noble complaining about the opening of a new community center. A community center that was a converted mansion and had been planned for close to 2 years now with multiple consultations with the inhabitants of the area and open forums to hear suggestions from them.

Noctis fought to keep his face impassive as the traditionalist ranted about the noise, non-existent thanks to renovations of the mansion walls; the increased traffic, less than 1% thanks to the dedicated bus routes added, and the perceived lowering of the property value because of the poor coming to the center for help.

Thankfully he wasn't the only one dealing with this and Councilman Aliso cut off the noble and calmly explained the facts. Multiple consultations had been done and everyone in the area had received direct invitations to speak about the center before anything had been finalized. When the noble starting getting angry and shouting at the councilman, Noct motioned for the guards and he was escorted away.

Gladio stepped up beside Noct and whispered, "Stubborn old man, glad that's over." Noct grinned up to his Shield and nodded, mouthing , 'Too much free time and nothing to do.' That drew a split second smirk from the bigger man before his expression returned to what Noct had dubbed 'Shield mode'.

There were still two other supplicants needing to be heard before he could call it a day and head back home. Noctis looked over to the three council members sitting on the session and asked, "Are you ready to hear the next supplicant?" At their nods, Noctis motioned for the guards to bring in the next person.

The case this time was simple enough, a request to increase the money sent to schools who have less students attending than was required. Noctis asked a few questions concerning the reason why the citizen wanted to keep the mostly empty schools opened and made a mental note to ask Ignis about the matter later.

The last one was a hunter requesting help from Insomnia to deal with an increase in behemoth rampaging around Lestallum. A request Noctis knew Ravus was already planning on using as a training exercise for some of the new Glaives. As such he was able to quickly reassure the hunter that help would be sent within the next week before calling an end to the daylong session.

Noctis got up a bit stiffly from the chair, stretching with a groan before turning to the council members and stating, "Unless one of you wishes to speak with me, I shall take my leave." When he only received muttered well wishes, Noct left with Gladio trailing after him.

Gladio grinned as soon as they left the stuffy room, "About time, so what now? I hope I don't have to…" He was cut off by a harried looking staff that grabbed his attention by shouting, "Lord Amicitia! Please wait!"

Gladio turned around and waited patiently for the staff to speak up, frowning slightly at the sight. The staff bowed before them both and apologized, "I'm very sorry for interrupting you Lord Amicitia but your presence is needed immediately in the training hall. There appears to have been a fight Sir and Crownguard Ilia has requested you to deal with the punishment."

Gladio groaned and turned to look at Noct, "I have to go deal with this. You can come with me or head over to Ignis' office, your choice." He turned back to the staff and told them softly, "You can return to your duties, I'll head over right now."

Noct frowned and then decided, "I'll head over to see Specs. I want to ask him about the school thing anyways. Try not to kill anyone." He added teasingly. Gladio groaned and waved him off as he walked towards the training hall.

Ignis' office in the Citadel weren't very far from his uncle's and Noct headed straight there without stopping. He didn't bother knocking on the door, simply slipping in. He stopped dead, his greeting dead in his mouth as he stared. He quietly closed the door and locked it behind him.

Ignis was curled up on the couch that was present in all the Citadel offices, facing away from the door. Noct grinned as he moved quietly around the couch and leaned to look over it. Ignis looked oddly peace like that, no wrinkles from stress or displeasure, just calm and restfulness.

Noct smiled softly, content to just stand there and watch Ignis sleep. The man would occasionally mouth something or sigh softly before shifting slightly. When he noticed a shiver passing over Ignis, Noct looked around until he found a soft looking blanket, hidden in a drawer.

The blanket was easily enough to cover Ignis and still draped over the side of the couch unto the floor. Noct played with the edge of it, it was so soft and warm. He ends up sitting on the floor by Ignis' head, half covered by the blanket and simply enjoying Ignis' presence. Noctis smiles and closes his eyes, a nap wouldn't hurt anyone.

A/N: So… I'm not sure what I want to write next so I'm letting you guys decide between these prompts.

1) Noct and Prompto go out drinking and someone tries to kidnap Noct while he's drunk.

2) Niflheim assassins infiltrate Insomnia aiming for the king's or the Prince's heads.

3) Ignis is not someone to mess with, as some idiots are about to find out.


	34. There is no rest for the wicked

A/N: It's been a bad week for me so this chapter is small and late. Sorry. Also, I will be without a computer until the 25th and as such will not be posting anything for about 3 weeks.

Ignis is 19 here.

It started with a single letter dropped off at his office. Anonymously written and printed using a computer and the printers available to all staff and visitors in the library of the Citadel. Ignis stared at the open letter and sighed at the threats written on the paper.

It wasn't the first such letter he had received as being the Royal Adviser for the Crown Prince was a sought after position by many nobles within Lucis and for it to have been given to a 6 year old child had caused quite a stir at the time. Ignis had been threatened and several of the old Noble Houses had tried to bully him since he had officially started to work as Adviser on his 16th birthday.

He put the letter aside for the moment, Ignis would drop it off like he always had, to Cor or his Uncle before leaving for the night. Ignis returned to his work and promptly put it out of his mind as he started going through the report on the applicants wanting to join the Crownguards.

The next letter sparked just a bit more trouble for Ignis as he found in on his desk one morning. He frowned as he picked it up and stared, he was certain that he had locked his door when he had left. Ignis reopened his door and checked the lock, no sign of it being picked so was the person responsible a staff member with a key to his office?

Ignis returned to his desk and opened the letter carefully. It held the same threats as last time but with one small change that had Ignis leaving immediately for Cor's office after stationing a guard at his door. He gave no explanation as he strode into the Marshall's office with barely a knock to announce himself, only dropping the letter unto his desk and stating, "I found this one inside my locked office. Read the last line."

Cor simply raised an eyebrow and took the offered letter. His calm demeanour grew more serious as he read the threats and the line that had Ignis worried and with good reason. "Your incompetence will lead to his highness' death?" Cor muttered as he met Ignis' gaze.

Ignis nodded as he waited for Cor's decision. He didn't have to wait long as Cor reached out and called Monica into the office. Ignis greets her with a nod and waits some more.

Cor looked at Monica and told her, "Ignis has received this threat. It's not the first like it but it is the first with a threat to his Highness. I want you to select guards to place at Ignis' office, discreet guards mind you." He looked at Ignis and stated, "I doubt you want to have a personal guard but I will be letting Gladiolus know of this. I suggest you take your own precautions and try not to find yourself alone until we find who's sending you these."

Ignis bowed, "I understand Marshall. May I request that I be allowed to tell Gladio about this? I believe it might be best if I break the news to him." He offered Cor and Monica a smile when the Marshall nodded. Ignis returned to his office and sent the guards away before texting Gladio, **Can you come to my office?**

Gladio showed up 5 minutes later with two coffees, one which was extended to Ignis immediately after his arrival in the office. "What's up Specs?" the man asked as soon as he closed the door and sat down.

Ignis sighed and took a sip of his coffee before he spoke to Gladio, "I received an anonymous threat against my person a month ago. It was left with the rest of my mail in front of my door. This morning another letter appeared on my desk in my locked office. That fact combined with the added threat to Noctis had me warn the Marshall of this. He is taking steps to find who is responsible but…"

Gladio cut him off with a growl, "He's taking the threat seriously enough that he wants me aware of this in case anyone tries anything. What was the threat specifically?" He crossed his arms and stared at his partner with impetuosity.

Ignis told him, " 'Your incompetence will lead to his Highness' death.' By itself, I would have only seen it as another attempt to rattle me but considering the placement of the threat and the sudden escalation... I believe and Cor does as well, that someone may try to harm Noctis and pin the blame on me."

Gladio growled, low in his chest, "That's bullshit. When they find whoever is responsible, I want a go at them." He got up and moved around to wrap Ignis into a bear hug, burying his nose in Ignis' hair and breathing deeply.

Ignis sighed and relaxed into the hug, muttering, "You and me both. For now, we must ensure Noctis' safety." He smiled against Gladio's skin before carefully detangling himself from his boyfriend.

Gladio grinned at Ignis then frowned, "What about you?" he asked softly.

Ignis looked at him and said, "What about me?"

Gladio looked at Ignis with narrowed eyes and clarified, knowing that Ignis was already aware of what he meant. "What about your security? Who is Cor assigning to keep you safe?" Ignis shifted and looked away uneasily. Gladio tsked and grabbed his chair to force Ignis to face him. "Let me guess, I'm supposed to keep an eye on both of you while you aren't at the Citadel right?"

Ignis nodded slowly and Gladio sighed before straightening, "Fine, I'll let Noct and Prompto know we'll be sharing their apartment until this is over. I'll come pick you up later so call me or text me when you plan on leaving."

Ignis nodded with a grim face once again and Gladio left to return to his own work. It left the adviser to his own thoughts and worries as the day progresses and an endless amount of questions about who could be responsible for the letters.

He sent Gladio a message when he was on his last report and was happy to see the man arrive within the next few minutes. Ignis greeted him, "Did you warn Noctis and Prompto?"

Gladio dropped unto the couch in Ignis' office and nodded, "Yup. Prompto spent the day cleaning the spare they have. You can take it and I'll grab the couch." He looked over at the file and asked, "Any news yet?"

Ignis shook his head and then put aside the last candidate report and stood up. "No news yet but if the culprit was that easy to find there would be little reason to worry, now would there." He motioned for Gladio to get up and followed the man out of his office quietly, pausing only to lock the door and double checking it before heading down towards the parking area.

The evening was spent as they usually did, Ignis trying to get Noctis to eat vegetables and helping with homework. Gladio walked out a few times to check the security of the building before spending the rest of the evening playing games with the rest of them.

The next few days passed by without trouble, Ignis being escorted to and from Noctis and Prompto's apartment by Gladio after they had dropped the two students off. Gladio would walk back with them if Ignis was still at the Citadel and then go pick the adviser up when he was needed.

There was no news on the investigation about who had left the letters nor had anyone been found responsible for them at this time. Ignis wasn't too surprised as the security around his office had gained an extra guard during the day and an extra patrol overnight. Chances were that the person responsible had been scared off.

He was wrong.

A full week after the threat against Noctis, Ignis was staring at a familiar letter that had been sent through the inner Citadel mail. He sighed and opened it, expecting another letter of vague threats and ignorance. The pictures that dropped from the envelop were not it nor was the sight of Noctis snoozing on his school desk from said pictures.

Ignis swore and dialed Cor immediately. He didn't even wait for the man to say anything before speaking, "I just received another one, this one filled with picture of Noctis, some of which are from his school."

Cor reacted quickly, "Stay where you are and call Gladiolus. I'm heading to your office right away after I send some guards to his Highness and Prompto." Ignis could hear the Marshall moving before the call ended.

Ignis dialed Gladio with one hand as he knelt and started gathering the pictures from the ground with somewhat trembling hands. Some of the pictures had threats written on them. Ignis jumped a bit when Gladio's voice sounded in his ear, "What's up Specs?"

Ignis took a deep breath before he spoke, "I received another letter but this one contained pictures of Noctis at school. The Marshall wants you to come to my office right away." Gladio swore and hung up, leaving Ignis to his own thoughts as he waited for the men to arrive.

As he straightened, Ignis remembered the letter itself and opened it. His body tensed up, hand going white around the paper in his hands. Ignis could feel his hair bristle on the back of his neck and anger filled his chest. Enough was enough, the person responsible for this idiocy was going too far!

Ignis stalked out of his office, leaving behind his phone, the letter and the pictures in his anger. The investigation was forced to proceed via legal means but Ignis was under no such obligation himself and he certainly wasn't going to follow rules if his opponent choose to ignore them as well.

His steps brought him to the main library where he expected the perpetrator of this annoyance had availed themselves to the computers and printers littering the floors. Ignis climbed the stairs and made himself comfortable on one of the small overhanging balconies. And waited.

Psychology had been a class Ignis had enjoyed quite a bit and something he had reason to learn and use liberally in his position. Blackmailers were normally people of habit, they found a prey and once hooked, would keep going back to the same people over and over again to satisfy themselves.

Ignis knew that whoever had been sending him the letters was A) a member of staff, B) access to a key that opened his office and C) was able to move outside of the Citadel between the hours of 1pm and 3pm without arousing suspicion.

With those hints, Ignis had a pretty good idea of who might be behind the letters. Someone he had noticed moving around his office and trailing his steps over the last few weeks, since the beginning of the opening of the applications for Crownguards trainees.

Ignis smirked as he saw the person in question slowly make their way through the rows of bookcases while looking around them with a noticeable paranoia. Ignis got to his feet and calmly started to parallel the path they took. He stayed out of sight as the person set up on one of the computers at the far end of the library and leaned against the bookcases as he watched.

Ignis only waited until the person was hunched over the keyboard and typing furiously before walking over to them casually, a dagger appearing in the palm of his hand. He stopped and checked the screen over the person's shoulder and felt another wave of anger surge through him at the words already written there.

Ignis leaned on the back of the chair, his dagger coming to dig into the edge of the person's ribs and he said in an overly calm voice while wearing a small smile. "Good morning . It's quite a surprise to see you here and working on such a… Unusual letter."

The lady sitting on the chair jumped at Ignis' words and started trembling as he pushed his dagger just a bit more firmly into her side. She looked over her shoulder at Ignis, eyes wide and fearful. Her mouth opened and closed several times without a sound escaping her mouth and Ignis sighed.

He glanced around to make sure no one had noticed anything amiss before leaning forward and whispering into the middle aged lady's ear. "Now I am well aware of the debts your family has and can guess who is truly behind this foolishness. If you wish to save yourself you will do as I say." He waited until she nodded before continuing, "Good, here's what's going to happen…."

Gladio gave him an earful when Ignis returned to his office and the adviser submitted to it willingly. He gave Cor the letter and the pictures, and accepted the order to return to the prince's apartment with Gladio.

It took three days before anything happened and when it did it made quite the fuss within Insomnia. Three leaders of some of the oldest and most conservative noble houses were arrested after one of their ladies-in-waiting had brought large amounts of evidence for crimes ranging from tax fraud to kidnapping and illegally holding immigrants in forced servitude.

Ignis smiled satisfied as he read the paper, glancing up to watch with fond eyes as Noctis, Prompto and Gladio were watching the news unfold on television. It looked like Ignis had gained a new link to his ever growing chain of intelligence, for the sake of Lucis.

A/N: I'm not very satisfied with this one because of a lot of thing including just depression being a pain and preventing me from writing at all then I forced myself to throw this together quickly. Still I hope it was somewhat enjoyable. I'll probably end up rewriting this prompt just for the hell of it.

Once more you guys decide what I write next between these prompts. See ya in three weeks!

1) 1) Noct and Prompto go out drinking and someone tries to kidnap Noct while he's drunk.

2) 2)Niflheim assassins infiltrate Insomnia aiming for the king's or the Prince's heads.


	35. Staged Plan part 1

A/N: Prompto and Noctis are 18, Ignis and Gladio are 21 and Iris is 12-ish. Mostly from Gladio's POV.

Gladio grinned as he watched Noctis and Prompto swearing at the tv screen as they struggled to complete the current mission of their newest game. He could hear Ignis moving around in the kitchen, no doubt preparing enough snacks to last the night.

It's been awhile since the four of them had been able to get together for more than an hour or so. Noctis and Prompto had both graduated a bit over a month ago and Noct had immediately been swept into Royal Duties at the Citadel. Prompto was now working as a fulltime Crownguard with Gladio and Ignis, part of Noctis' personal guard and he had been asked by Cor and Clarus to teach new trainees how to use guns as part of their training.

It meant that while they saw each other daily, none of their schedule matched enough for the four to get together longer than an hour or so until now. Gladio reached out and tugged Noctis unto his lap, drawing a screech of outrage from the prince.

"Gladio!" Noct said with a pout, slapping his Shield on the arm as the TV flashed red on Noct's side of the screen. Prompto laughed at his victory and twisted to give Gladio a high five.

The rest of the evening was spent enjoying first Ignis' cooking then each other until they fell asleep cuddle together in the extra-large, custom made bed that was a gift from his Majesty on Noctis' 17th birthday. When morning came, Ignis and Gladio slipped out of the bedroom quietly and left both of their younger lovers sleeping in for a few more hours.

Gladio headed back to his home, humming as he did; Iris would be happy to see him and maybe they would be able to grab breakfast together. If Gladio was absolutely lucky than his father would be there too but considering the unusual silence or lack of attack from Niflheim, his father was more than likely in another meeting trying to figure out what they were planning.

The Amicitia Mansion was quiet when Gladio arrived, Jared greeting him with a smile. "Is Iris still sleeping?" Gladio asked as he started heading up the stairs.

Jared shook his head, "Lady Iris spent the night at a friend's place. She will be returning later on today." The old butler smiled as Gladio nodded and disappeared up to his room.

Gladio took a shower and got changed before heading back out to the Citadel. He had a training session with some of the newer guards then he was to join Noct for a few meetings in the afternoon. Gladio bid Jared a good day as he left the mansion once more.

The training session went well, the new guards were properly trained, not that he expected anything less from Crownguard recruits trained by his father and Cor. He had enjoyed showing some of the guards some new tricks and had a mixed fighting session set up with the Glaives, and Ravus, for the next evening.

Gladio met, or rather dragged, Ignis for lunch and Prompto met them there by chance. The three of them shared a relaxing hour of laughter and good food, though nowhere near Ignis' cooking, before Prompto left. Ignis and Gladio were heading to the same meeting, they met up with Noct at the door and Gladio tugged the prince and his adviser into a niche to kiss them both before they entered the council room.

Gladio watched quietly as Ignis conducted the meeting with a steel hand, keeping the council members present on task. He caught the heated look Noctis sent Ignis' way when no one was looking and had to hide his grin.

His eyes roamed over Ignis' body and admitted to himself how gorgeous the man was while lecturing someone… As long as that someone was not him of course. The meeting was done before he knew it and Gladio checked his phone quickly before following Ignis and Noctis to the prince's office.

Still no message from Iris, she almost always sent him a message every day. Hopefully it was only that she was having too much fun with her friend or that she forgot, again, to plug in her phone overnight.

Gladio's mind slipped away from worry to delight when the three men arrived at Noctis' office. Ignis decided to made it quite clear that Noctis hadn't been as subtle as he had thought. Gladio was treated to a wonderful show as Ignis showed Noctis just much how the smoldering glances the prince had sent to his adviser had affected the man.

It was with a grin that Gladio found himself walking back to the Amicitia home. Iris had yet to send him a message and it was slightly worrying. As Gladio entered the front door of the mansion, his dad stomped out with a furious and yet worried look on his face.

"Dad?" Gladio asked as he moved out of the way quickly.

Clarus stopped, his expression turning to surprise, "Gladio? What are you… No it doesn't matter. Something has come up and I will be gone for some time. There… There might be an attempt at his Majesty or the Prince's lives so I suggest you pack up and stay by Prince Noctis' side until this is resolved."

Gladio snapped to attention, nodding at his dad's orders and watched as the King's Shield walked away in a hurry without letting his son ask for more details. Gladio shrugged, if it was that serious Cor or Ignis would be able to tell him what was going on. For now he needed to let Noct know to stay at Citadel with Ignis or Prompto until they could ensure the apartment was safe.

 **Behemoth to Our Light:** _Hey Princess, stay by Iggy or Prom for now will you? Something might be going on._

 **Behemoth to Brains to spare:** _Dad just told me Noct and his majesty might be in danger. Told him to stay by your side or Prompto's. I'm going to go check on the apartment. Can you fill me in ASAP?_

 **Behemoth to Laughing Sun:** _Hey Prom :) Sorry to bug you but can you find Noct and stay by him? Make sure he stays at the Citadel until me or Ignis come get you. Stay sharp for me._

Messages sent, Gladio grabbed the prepacked emergency bag he always had ready anywhere he visits on a regular basis and left. He headed toward the prince's, more like their shared one these days, apartment.

The first thing he had to do was check the surrounding area for any signs of surveillance, well any that wasn't their own that is. Gladio took his time, chatting casually with the locals who staffed the restaurants and shops in the area.

His search yielded nothing abnormal and so Gladio headed into the shopping mall and straight the apartment security. His quiet questions yielded nothing as well and Gladio sighed in relief. The only thing left now was the apartment itself then he could check in with Ignis and get Noctis here safely.

Checking the apartment revealed the same result and Gladio nodded to himself. His phone buzzed and Gladio checked it absent mindedly. He smiled slightly as Iris' name flashed at him and checked the message she had sent him.

His bag dropped through numb fingers as he stared at the video playing on his phone. Gladio gritted his teeth and forced himself not to crush the phone in his hand from anger. This explained his dad's reaction though, if this had been what he had received.

Gladio has two choices.

Call Cor and make sure he, and by extension the Crownguard and his Majesty, are aware of this situation.

Head over to where Iris is without letting anyone know and hope for the best.

He desperately wants to call Ignis and ask for help, advice or otherwise, but there is a time limit and Gladio had less than 5 minutes to make his choice and prepare. The video looped a second time and Gladio swore, slamming his fist against the nearby wall as tears slid down his face because of the impossible choice he had in front of him.

He turns around, eyes searching the apartment once again before sending another message to Ignis.

 **Behemoth to Brains to spare:** _Place is safe. Left you something on the kitchen table… I'm sorry._

With that, Gladio dropped his phone on the kitchen table and left his home to face the task in front of him.

He runs to the metro station and grabs the first of the trains heading to the Entertainment District in the eastern section of Insomnia. His destination is a theater in the middle of the district, the doors closed for renovations or so the sign on the glass pane declares.

Gladio grits his teeth and pushes on the door, unsurprised as it opened easily. The entrance hall is empty, plasters walls half broken and workers gear and equipment strewn about the dusty floor.

He pushes forward, trying to ignore the shiver of fear and worry that shoots through his spine when he notices a familiar shoe among the debris. Gladio forces his attention away from it and heads left down the stairs to the ground level seats.

The dark red doors are marked to indicate seating sections and Gladio checks each faded marker before he finds the right one. The silence surrounding the place scared Gladio, his fear for Iris growing the closer he got to fulfilling what had been demanded of him.

The door opens with a clang, the noise trap, a small tower of empty cans, alerting all those within of Gladio's arrival. The empty rows of seats face the stage, one occupied by both familiar and unfamiliar figures.

"Gladdy!" "Gladiolus?"

Iris and his father shout in almost unison as Gladio entered. Iris was pale, tied to a chair towards the right of the stage, and had a few bruises showing on her face and arms.

There was also two masked and cloaked figures on either side of her with guns pointing at her head.

His father was standing on the opposite side of the stage, facing Iris, and several spot lights beamed straight on him from the rafters. There was one other person on the stage, though Gladio did not doubt there were others hidden out of their sight, a blond haired woman with full lips leaning against a fake tree.

"And the son arrives," She checked her watch and nodded to herself, "with a few minutes to spare." She looked at Gladio and motioned for him to go stand beside his father with the crook of a finger followed by a raised hand.

Gladio follows the wordless order without any fuss, not wanting to risk Iris' life. He clenched his jaw and waits as the woman's eyes roam over his body with a cold precision that reinforces what Gladio had already guessed, this person was a professional.

The woman straightens with a sigh, "I'll be very clear for you boy, and this can serve as a reminder to your father. You will not move or speak unless directed to do so by myself. I will ask you questions, answer me truthfully or the lovely young lady over there pays the price. Do you understand?"

Gladio nods, "Yes." He can feel his hands shaking and quickly tugs them out of sight. His dad is just as tense, perhaps even more so than before, with Gladio at his side, their shoulders almost touching.

The woman nods and moves to stand in between Iris and the two Amicitia men, too far for either of them to reach her easily. "Good, your father didn't take me seriously when he arrived and we'll… you saw what wasn't there in the little video I sent you."

She shot a grin over her shoulder and Gladio heard Iris whimper. His body tensed before he was even conscious of it but a hand landed on his arm, his dad shook his head slightly, and Gladio took a deep breath before forcing his body to relax.

The lady huffed in amusement, "Don't worry about the little lady behind me. Like I said, she won't get hurt if you both answer my questions and so as I say." She smirked, "Now, let's start with something simple shall we? How will the Crownguards react should you not appear tomorrow at the Citadel?"

Gladio frowns in confusion, why would she ask that? He glances over at his dad, uncertain whether he should answer.

Clarus grits his teeth but spits out,"Unless they have a reason to suspect something is wrong, the Marshall shall simply send me a message with the notes from the day's meeting. Gladio has …"

The woman raised her hand sharply and looks at Gladio. " Fine, what about you?"

Gladio swallows, mouth suddenly dry, "His highness has daily morning practice with me. He will try and contact me if I don't show up. Otherwise I am not expected anywhere."

The woman nods and hums thoughtfully. She doesn't bother turning as she shouts, "Toss me a phone! Both of them need to make a phone call."

Gladio clasps his hands behind his back as he tensed uncomfortably. He can guess what the lady expects and a glance to his father shows him that his dad has the same idea as him.

He can only hope that Ignis will be able to check his phone quickly and get out of his meetings before it's too late.

There is some movement in the stage rafters and a phone is tossed down without care. The woman moves with surprising quickness and precision, a hand snapping out to catch the phone without more than a glance towards it. Definitely a well trained professional.

The woman smirks and checks something on the phone before extending it to his dad. "Call the Marshall. Tell him your daughter is sick and the doctor wants your family to stay quarantined until she is better, however long that might take."

His dad reaches out slowly and grabs the phone. The lady doesn't add anything, there was no need to when the two persons were still holding guns at Iris, ready to shot at a moment's notice.

Silence reigns in the theater as Gladio watches his dad input two series of numbers into the phone. He can hear Iris sniffling out of sight and the sound breaks his heart.

Iris was supposed to be keep out of the way of the Amicitia duty, at least until she made her own decision concerning her path in life. To see her being injured because of that duty makes Gladio feel unbearably guilty, he would have to figure out some way to make it up to her after this was all done.

For now he listens as his dad starts talking, his voice steady and calm, sounding mostly unconcerned. "Marshall? My apologies for the interruption but I need a favor."

There is a small pause as the Marshall seems to speak but Gladio can't understand what he is saying even when he strains to hear.

"Yes, of course. It's Iris. She's fallen ill and the doctor has asked that those who came in close contact with her remain away from the public for now." His dad keeps his eyes on the woman in front of him as he spins the required lie.

"Jared and Talcott are free to move around so you can send any paperwork to the mansion. You won't be getting it back for a while though. Doctor's orders. I'd rather not risk His Majesty's health by being around him."

The woman gestures for him to hang up and his dad finishes the conversation quickly, "I'll do what I can but i don't know how long this will last. Thank you for this Marshall, I shall repay you at a later date."

His dad hangs up and make to return the phone to the lady but she shakes her head and looks over at Gladio. "Your turn. Call who you need to cancel your training sessions with the prince. Same excuse as your dad."

Gladio nods slowly and accepts the phone from his dad, their fingers brushing against each other and Gladio is startled to feel them trembling. He looks down at the phone and quickly realizes why his dad had to put in two phone numbers.

The phone was asking for an inbound phone number and Gladio carefully put his number in. The screen flashed green and then he was asked to put in an outgoing number. He put in Ignis' 'official' phone number and waited.

He wasn't surprised when the answering machine picked up instead and Gladio took a deep breath as he listened to the recorded message. "Hey, guess you're in a meeting. Look Iris is sick and the doc told me and dad to stay in the mansion for a bit. I need you to cancel my training sessions with His Highness. I'll let you know when we can start up again. Thanks."

Gladio hangs up and returns the phone without waiting. The woman grins as she takes it back and half turns and tosses the phone back stage.

She turns back and grins, "Now that there is no rush let's get things started." She moved back to the side, allowing both men to see Iris clearly. One of the figures lowered the gun away from Iris, the two men relax a fraction.

It doesn't last long as the gun turns to point straight at Gladio's chest, hovering there for a few moments before lowering until it was aimed at his left knee. Gladio tensed up and he heard his dad take a quick, strained breath beside him.

The lady was smiling even more as she leaned back against the prop. "Now then, Mr. Amicitia, I have questions for you. You can choose not to answer but if you do, your son will pay for it. Answer a question with a lie and your daughter answers for it. Are we clear?"

Gladio's breath catches in his throat at the words. His heart is thrumming in his chest as he tried not to show Iris, or their captors, just how terrified he is.

Getting shot in the knee is a good way to permanently take down a fighter, and it was even more effective when the fighter wielded heavy weaponry. If he got shot then Gladio would not be able to protect Noct, ever.

His dad's voice broke through the near panic that was starting to fill Gladio, "I understand clearly. What are your questions?"

Gladio forces himself to take a deep breath and refocus' on Iris and his dad. No matter what, Iris and his dad have to get out of here safely. That's all that matters.

The woman nods and puts on a professional, blank expression as more pronounced movements is heard above them. "What is the contingency plan in place should an assassin infiltrate the Citadel?"

Gladio grits his teeth as his dad answers slowly, "It would depend on where this theoretical assassin would be when the alarm sounds and on where His Majesty and his Highness are at the time."

The lady nods thoughtfully before clarifying, "I want to know the exact route if an attack would come from the front gate of the Citadel for the following possible locations of the royal family: in a meeting in the council room, in their quarter and walking through the Citadel going to or from the Throne Room."

Gladio struggled to keep himself from frowning, a frontal assault on the gate? That would be suicide no matter the amount of attackers. And those locations… Gladio felt a stab of fear, were they seriously planning a suicide attack on the front gate of the Citadel just to assassinate Noctis or his Majesty? Just who were theses peoples?

Gladio could tell his dad had the same questions but once more, Clarus spoke calmly and clearly. "If the attack is coming from the front gate and there is a credible chance that they enter the Citadel itself then the procedure would be for myself, the Marshall or the Commander to escort His Majesty and his Highness to one of three locations. If one or both of them is in the council room then they, and any council member present, will be brought to the inner sanctum."

The woman's gaze sharpened, "And where exactly is this inner sanctum?"

Gladio was wondering the same thing, his dad wasn't lying but he had never heard of this particular escape plan unless… Was it an old one? He forced himself to look away from his dad and the woman, not wanting to risk his expression revealing anything that might put Iris in danger.

It was that look away that allowed him to glimpse the slight movement above the balcony level balustrade. Gladio shifted again, bringing his eyes back to Iris but he kept the balcony on his periphery with ease.

There it was again! Gladio was certain he had seen at least three people moving around and his instinct were screaming that they were familiar figures and familiar movements. A sense of relief spread through him and he had to fight to keep it from showing in his posture.

Instead he returned his attention towards his dad and tensed up consciously as though angry at what he was hearing. The woman barely glanced his way before returning to concentrate on his dad but she seemed amused and content by the way Gladio was acting.

Clarus was obviously answering a question Gladio had missed as he said, "...rol go through the main halls and corridors every 15 minutes but the staff corridors aren't as watched since they are used often and are a maze that can turn around seasoned staffers if they are not careful."

The lady straightens and grins, "That will b…." She never gets to finish as suddenly there are uniformed Glaives appearing everywhere on the stage. Gladio is suddenly surrounded by a crystal wall as gunshots ring out before the gunners are taken down.

"Iris!" Gladio shouts and rushes over to her the moment the magical wall falls. His dad is by his side almost instantly and they both are by Iris' side within seconds. Nyx Ulric is kneeling beside her, a hand behind the chair and the ropes holding her falling to the ground.

Gladio suddenly has an armful of his crying little sister and his dad brings his arms around both of them. Gladio can feel him trembling against them and knows he probably is too. He tunes out his dad murmuring softly to Iris and concentrates on looking around him, his instinct still telling him there was danger around.

That's what saves his dad's life. Gladio caught the glimmer of light on metal and reacted before he could even think about it.

He jerked out of his dad's hug and pushed his family to the ground roughly. A burning pain streaked across the left side of his face and then his stomach. Gladio dropped to his knees soundlessly, both hands going straight to press on the suddenly bleeding bullet hole that was now in his left side, the blood spreading quickly all over his side.

Gladio barely heard his dad and Iris shout his name as he gritted his teeth and tried to blink away the red haze over his left eyes with no success. Had he lost his eye?

Large hands grabbed his shoulders and someone shoved a glass vial against his chest quickly. The vial broke easily and Gladio gulped down a mouthful of air as the magic of the potion, or maybe an elixir, worked its way in his body and forced the pain back.

Gladio blinked several times, the red haze was still there and he could feel blood sluggishly dripping down his face but his sight was better now. He could barely make out the worried face of his sister on his left but he could clearly see his dad on his right.

Ravus was standing in front of him, looking just as worried as Iris and his dad. In his hands was another potion ready to be administered but Gladio grimaced and grumbled, "Give that to Iris. I'll be fine till we get to a hospital."

Ravus looked like he was about to argue but a glance behind Gladio made him back down and the Commander handed Iris the potion without further delays. "Fine but only because the ambulance just arrived. The three of you will be brought to the hospital to get treated. And yes that includes you too Lord Amicitia, you know protocol for such situations. "

Gladio huffed in amusement as he caught the annoyed look that passed through his dad's face before it disappeared. Ravus seemed to have also seen it and he smirked and continued talking, "You'll be debrief once the doctors have cleared you. His Majesty has demanded that all three of you remain at the Citadel for a few days once you've been debriefed."

Ravus' smirk turned to a worried and yet relieved look and he lowered his voice as the medical team approached, "You had us all worried. I'm glad we got here in time." He motioned for the paramedics to take over and Gladio winced as one of the crew jostled him as they passed by.

Gladio allowed the paramedics to check on his injuries, his dad watching over him and Iris as they were given some quick first aid before being moved to the ambulances. His dad somehow managed to get the three of them in the same truck and Gladio could freely admit, to himself, that he was glad of it. He needed to stay close to his family right now and he was certain he wasn't the only one.

Halfway to the hospital his dad swore and both his children looked up in confusion. The man grimaced and simply said, "Sylva is going to be pissed." Gladio winced at that, Iris shaking her head softly in exasperation at her dad's obvious comment. The headstrong nurse wasn't the only one who was going to be mad, Gladio was certain that the moment the doctors cleared him, Ignis would be there to give him an earful.

He wouldn't change that for anything in the world.


	36. Staged Plan part 2

A/N: An attempt to redo my previous Ignis centered drabble by mixing it into this current drabble. Let me know what you think! Also I got a Beta reader/ Editor for this series. (BarefootBassist)

Ignis was there to greet the Amicitias at the hospital; his eyes took in the bandage covering Gladio's left eye and the blood staining his clothes, as well as the injuries visible on Iris' skin, with great worry. He fell into step with them as paramedics brought them into the emergency room where a few nurses quickly moved to take over their care. "Lord Amicitia, if I might have a word with you?"

The usually stoic King's Shield seemed torn as he glanced between his children and Ignis with a worried and heartbroken look in his eyes. It took a pointed look from Iris and a soft whispered conversation between Gladio and his father before the older man turned to Ignis and nodded.

Ignis headed towards one of the private rooms scattered around the emergency area of the hospital. He could hear Gladio's dad following after with heavy steps. Ignis locked the door once they were both inside and turned to face the older man.

Clarus Amicitia had always been a steady presence in Ignis' life, though a somewhat distant one, before Prompto had arrived like a storm. Now the father of his boyfriend was pale, with a slight trembling visible to Ignis' eyes and looking utterly exhausted, something Ignis could not recall seeing before.

"Please sit down, Sir Clarus. You look like you're about to collapse." Ignis asked softly, his demeanor no longer that of the prince's advisor but rather that of a worried friend.

Clarus started to shake his head but the movement seemed to send him slightly off balance and he relented to drop heavily into one of the seats beside him. "My apologies Ignis. What is it that you wished to talk about?"

Ignis took a seat as well and offered the older man a tight smile before speaking, "I should be the one to apologies for taking you away from Gladio and Iris. The Marshall shall be arriving shortly with some of the Crownsguard, but his Majesty asked me to take down a first account of what happened." Ignis took out a pad of paper and a pen and wrote down the date and time at the top.

Clarus took a deep breath and nodded before he spoke of the events over the last few hours. Ignis wrote down everything, using his own version of shorthand to ensure accuracy and efficiency of the statements. Clarus didn't show him the video he had received from the kidnappers and would-be assassins, but the details he gave Ignis had the advisor bristling with anger.

It took a good 10 minutes to go through everything, and Cor appeared a few minutes before Ignis was done confirming all the details of the statement. As Ignis put away his things, Cor filled them on what was going on with Gladio and Iris. "Gladiolus is in surgery; the bullet grazed his eye and lodged into his side. The doctors need to get it out before they can stitch anything. Iris is fine now; the doctors have treated her bruises and determined she didn't have any broken bones or internal bleeding. Monica is with her, and Jared arrived with some clothes and basic necessities for all of you."

Ignis watched as Clarus seemed to be caught between relief that his daughter would not have any physical scars, and worry about Gladio being in surgery. He got up with his bag in hand and, with a parting word of advice that Clarus call the king soon, Ignis left the room and headed towards the trio of Crownsguards standing in front of a room.

Ignis glanced into it and smiled at Iris, her small form now changed into a hospital gown. He didn't stop to talk with her, opting to leave her to Jared who was sitting by her side, and left the hospital completely.

Once he was outside, he grabbed his phone and called Noctis. The prince answered on the first ring with a worried, "How are they?"

Ignis smiled as he slid into the backseat of the Crown issued car and answered, "Clarus is unharmed, if shaken by what happened. Iris is bruised but is expected to make a full recovery quickly. As for Gladio, he is currently undergoing surgery." Ignis winced at Noctis' shout at that and waited a bit before he was able to talk again, "He apparently pushed his father out of the path from a bullet. The bullet grazed his eye and ended up lodged in his side. The Glaives gave him a potion quickly but the bullet was still in him and the doctors need to get it out."

Ignis wasn't too surprised when Prompto's voice came through the phone as the two young men had been together since Gladio had sent his earlier message concerning a possible assassination attempt towards the royal family. "But he'll be alright, right?" Prompto asked, worried.

Ignis was quick to reassure them both, "Gladiolus will be quite fine once the surgery is over. He may have a few new scars but knowing him, he will be trying to slip into the training halls before the end of the week." Ignis smiled to himself as he heard the chuckles from Noct and Prompto; it was infinitely better than hearing them so worried.

His phone beeped and Ignis moved it away long enough to see the message flashing on the screen and sighed, "I'm sorry Noct, Prompto. It would appear I am needed at Glaive headquarters. Stay at the apartment; I will let you know if anything changes." Ignis smiled softly as his boyfriends bade him to be careful before he hung up and dialed Ravus.

"Ignis, where are you?" Ravus demanded as soon as he answered.

Ignis frowned and glanced out of the window before he answered, "I'm passing Avinias Avenue right now. What is it?"

Ravus sighed, sounding utterly stressed as he replied, "We found a series of papers, we assume letters or orders, but they are unreadable even with magic. Do you have time to stop and take a look?"

Ignis tapped mindlessly on his bag and then agreed, "I shall arrive in 15 minutes." He met the driver's gaze and saw they were aware of the change of plans.

Ravus paused before he asked in a low whisper, "How are they?"

Ignis bit off the smile threatening to take over his expression as he answered Ravus' worries, "They will be fine. Iris has some bruising but nothing beyond that thankfully. Gladio will have some new scars and will undoubtedly be a pain for us all when he decides he is well enough to train again but that is all."

Ravus' relief could be clearly heard in the sigh that followed Ignis' words. Ignis didn't hold back his smile this time and he bid Ravus goodbye.

With his destination so suddenly changed, and without knowing how long it would take him to return to the Citadel as he had planned, Ignis decided to call his uncle to update him and, by extension, the king of what he had learned so far. He took quick pictures of his notes (his uncle had been the one to teach him his shorthand writing), sent it to him, and called.

"Ignis, thank you for talking with Clarus for us." Ventus greeted warmly as he answered the call.

Ignis replied, "It was no trouble, Uncle. Is his Majesty there with you?"

"Yes, he is. Is there something wrong?" His uncle asked, tone growing more worried with each word.

Ignis leaned against his seat as he answered, "Perhaps, though all three Amicitias are expected to make a full recovery. Ravus just contacted me; his Glaives found a possible paper trail but they have not been able to make sense of it. I am on my way to take a look myself and thought it best that you receive my notes as quickly as possible despite this detour."

"As dutiful as always." His uncle said, "I'll translate your notes for his Majesty. Call us should you or Ravus need any assistance with this matter. And please be careful."

Ignis nodded to himself and replied, "I will let you know quickly should this pan out into something of use to the investigation." He hung up soon after and checked through his bag to remind himself of what he had, and what he might require at the Glaives headquarters.

Nyx was waiting for him to arrive, opening the door for Ignis with a smirk and half bow. "Hey Specs, heard the commander asked you for back up."

Ignis chuckled at that and followed the older glaive into the building. "He did indeed. Might you fill me in on what has happened? I have just returned from talking with Lo...Sir Clarus at the hospital."

Nyx glanced over his shoulder at Ignis before he answered, slowing his pace slightly. "From the look on your face, I'm guessing they'll be fine. As for what happened since we landed in the middle of that shit show, those guys were definitely professionals." Nyx huffed and frowned, his expression tinged with anger. "None of them are talking though we've been civilized so far. We looked through everything they had and found only three things. Weapons - mostly guns and a few daggers. The key to a ask-no-question motel; it's being raided right now but we don't expect anything from it. Lastly, each of them had a single sheet of paper written in some unknown language or code. Each one was different from the others so we are considering them to be personal orders for whatever they were planning."

Ignis listened carefully, his mind cataloguing and rearranging the information Nyx was giving him. It certainly was odd, why would clear professionals have written orders on their person? That would be against the most basic of rules when one works at the behest of incognito patrons.

He didn't have much time to consider anything else as his guide stopped in front of a well-worn door. Ignis dipped his head in thanks as he raised a hand to knock on the door.

It didn't take long for Ignis to find himself seated opposite Ravus, a few marked papers being slid towards him by an exhausted looking man. Ignis cast a quick glance at the papers before refocusing his attention on Ravus, "Are you feeling unwell, Ravus?"

Ravus grumbled something under his breath, and Ignis sighed in mock exasperation. The words had often been repeated by many towards the still-new commander of the Kingsglaives, "If you require assistance, you need only to ask, dear friend."

Ravus looked away from Ignis straightforward gaze, a soft blush creeping up his neck and Ignis chuckled before finally taking a good look at the papers in question. Each sheet looked unremarkable; the paper seemed to be the standard found all over Eos. Ignis touched the surface of it lightly, even holding one of the sheets up until he could see the light shining through the thin material.

Nothing unusual to be seen.

He turned his attention to what was on the papers themselves. Each paper held some kind of script, but none appeared to be the same. Ignis noted with curiosity that each paper had been penned by a different person and using a different pen; the color appearing to be black when looked at directly, but as Ignis manipulated them he noticed subtle shades of color appearing fleetingly.

He could feel Ravus watching him as he explored the evidence in front of him with meticulous care, but Ignis paid little heed as he worked.

The pure black ink was used by a right-handed person who seemed unused to writing by hand, if the way the symbols were jammed tightly together in the second half of every line was any indication.

The black ink with blue tones was used by someone who put a lot of importance on equal spacing between every symbol. Ignis could see faint traces of graphite lines marking precise beginning points for each symbol across the paper.

The writer using black ink with a golden tone to it was the exact opposite; each symbol uneven in a careless manner.

The more details Ignis noticed as he examined the papers, the more confused he was. The very presence of the papers was a contradiction to the carefully planned execution of the Amicitias' kidnapping and the _torture_ they put Iris through. Add to this the sheer difference in each individual paper, and Ignis found himself wondering whether this might just be an elaborate distraction concerning a bigger plan they had yet to unravel.

"Ravus, I believe the prisoners are within this building, correct?" Ignis asked softly as he laid down the papers with care.

Ravus nodded, "They are. Have you figured something out?" He rose from his seat and walked around his desk.

Ignis hummed as he followed Ravus out of his office, "More like the lack of something is quite indicative in this case."

Ravus frowned but said nothing as he walked through the halls, nodding his greetings to the Glaives that passed by them. They walked up a flight of stairs before arriving at a heavy set metal door guarded by four Glaives.

The Glaives saluted Ravus as they approached, "Commander!"

Ravus grinned as he waved them down. "At ease, we will be seeing our prisoners. Anything new since my departure?"

There was a sharp look in the eyes of the man who answered, "One of them tried to start a fight with Altius; I think she scared the crap out of him though."

Ignis grinned at the news. Crowe Altius was a sharp and ruthless lady who had found her way into his heart since her arrival in Insomnia, and he pitied the fool who had angered her. Ravus seemed to have the same thoughts - or close enough - as he shook his head and walked through the now-open doors with Ignis beside him.

The holding area of the Kingsglaives' headquarters was rarely used, since it was rare for them to be involved in matters within the Crown City and even rarer for them to capture prisoners of war. Still, the hall Ignis saw was spotless and clean, a series of metal doors lining the walls and leading to each holding cell.

Ravus turned to Ignis, "How do you want to do this?"

Ignis replied, "Talking with the leader of this group would be most advantageous. May I enter alone?"

Ravus frowned at the request, "Alone? Are you certain?"

Ignis nodded and waited for Ravus' answer. The man sighed and walked halfway down the hall before stopping at a door. He looked back at Ignis. "This is where she's being kept at the moment. The leader's name is apparently Alice or so she claims. We found no ID on her or any of her accomplices. I will allow you to go in alone, but we will be watching through the security system. Anything happens and I will enter."

Ignis nodded again,"Thank you Ravus." He turned to the door, took a deep breath in and then knocked on the door and waited a few moments before entering.

The holding cell was unremarkable, four walls of concrete with a single table in the middle. Two chairs flanked the table though only one was unoccupied.

Ignis saw a single visible camera in the corner but it was unlikely that it was the only one within the room. He turned his attention to the occupant of the room and introduced himselfn "Good evening, my name is Ignis…"

The woman interrupted, "Scientia. Yes I am well aware of who you are." The woman smirked and leaned back on her chair. "Advisor to Crown Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, and a loyal subject to the Crown. How did you enjoy Evan's hospitality?"

Ignis tensed up at the mention of the man who had kidnapped and tortured him some time ago. He heard Ravus move from the hall and knew he couldn't allow this woman to take control of their encounter.

Ignis forced himself to take a deep breath before he started taking a good look at the person right in front of him. 'Alice' was a blonde-haired and shapely woman who could easily draw the gaze of others, or pass unnoticed if she so wished. She was wearing clothes given by the Glaives when they had searched her and confiscated all that was on her.

Her posture appeared relaxed, but was tightly controlled. Ignis lowered his gaze to her nails, and barely restrained a smile. "I am honored that a Daughter of Orbis would know of me. I suppose I should be honored to be considered such a great threat by the Empire."

The woman jerked upright in utter surprise and shock as Ignis made his way to sit at the table across from her. He was glad to have insisted on learning about the Empire's vast array of spy networks that worked either directly under the Emperor or were used by the higher ranking members of the government and military.

'Alice' stared at Ignis with a carefully constructed blank expression though he could now see fear and worry within her stiff posture. Ignis met her gaze evenly and waited patiently for the next move.

It didn't take too long before she did so, her voice steady as she spoke, "I suppose I should have expected Lucis to know of our existence, but I admit being surprised at how you managed to figure that I was one." She smiled flirtatiously at Ignis.

Ignis suppressed a sigh as he ignored the all-too-obvious attempt at seduction in favor of asking, "What was your aim? The questions you've asked Lord Amicitia suggest an assassination attempt on the Royal Family, but we both know that's not the goal here."

'Alice' tensed up minutely before laughing, "Is that so? Then why don't you tell me what you think our goal is then?"

Ignis smirked and clarified, "Not 'our' goal but rather yours personally. Isn't that right?" He suppressed his grin as the woman clearly grew frightened for a split second before she managed to regain her composure but it was enough for Ignis to get an idea of the situation.

Ignis spoke again, not allowing her any time to recover from the surprise of his words. "Let us speak hypothetically. Say, for instance, that a spy is tired of obeying their master. Say, for instance, that this same spy was given a fairly impossible task to complete but one that would provide a perfect opportunity to disappear with ease and leave no one any wiser. Say, for instance, the task is the assassination of a well-defended enemy."

Ignis paused for a moment, gauging his audience's reaction to his words before continuing. "Now the best way to ensure that their disappearance goes smoothly, hypothetically speaking, would be to fulfill the job given to them while simultaneously making it seem as though they had died. Of course, this spy would be aware of the risks of failing before they've gotten away and would have some kind of backup to ensure that even in failure they would have leverage to ensure their safety."

Ignis hoped that Ravus was listening in and using what he was saying to get information from the other prisoners. He stopped a moment to organize his next words carefully. "This backup plan could be any number of things. Information on their master, information on any fail-safes or insurances that their master sent along with them or even… Even encrypted papers holding false information."

'Alice' interrupted, "This is all still hypothetical, Sir Scientia. Why don't you just go ahead and tell me what you want."

Ignis stayed silent for a moment after her interruption before speaking again, "I believe the better question is why each of your men had unreadable papers, each written by someone different, using different pens, while on a suicidal assassination attempt. So, Miss 'Alice', was I speaking in mere hypotheticals or did I properly understand the true situation?"

'Alice' seemed to ponder Ignis' words for a minute or so before she spoke, "Yes and no. I would appreciate any help Lucis has to offer concerning my defection from Niflheim but my group was not sent to assassinate anyone, much less someone of royal blood. Rather, we were tasked to gather information for someone else who has their own target in mind."

Ignis kept his face stern and expressionless as he demanded, "Where are they?"

'Alice' smirked, crossed her arms and made her own demands, "I want a guaranteed pardon for all my crimes, full citizenship and a secure job with a salary of 200,000 gil or whatever equivalent you use here."

Ignis shot back, "I will have to speak with his Majesty and the Council. They would be more inclined to accept your _request_ if you were to give me something useful right now."

'Alice' simply leaned back with a satisfied smile and waited. Ignis could clearly see he would not be getting anything else from her and quietly left the holding cell, anger and worry churning in his stomach.

He was expecting Ravus to be waiting for him as soon as he got out; instead, he saw the Kingsglaive commander talking quickly on the phone with someone. Ignis moved towards him and was able to pick up a few words, "Yes…No… I'll get the Marshall to send more guards… Your priority at this moment is to bring the prisoners here… Good, now shut up and do it, Ulric."

Ravus hung up with a grumble and a sigh. Ignis frowned and asked, "What happened?"

Ravus motioned for Ignis to follow him out as he spoke, "While you were speaking with 'Alice' I had the Glaives assigned to the other prisoners listening in. They were able to get some of them to talk thanks to your hypothetical situation and what 'Alice' revealed afterwards. Apparently the true assassin was staying as a guest in House Ilumna. I was about to call Cor and tell him to grab the assassin when Nyx called from the hospital."

Ignis blanched and exclaimed, "Gladio! Is he alright? And Iris?"

Ravus gave him a reassuring smile,"They're fine." He chuckled, "Our assassin underestimated Iris. She was watching over Gladio with a nurse while the doctors were talking with Clarus. She noticed the nurse was not quite right and took them down by herself. Nyx found proof that they were the assassin on them right there and then. He and a few Glaives are bringing them here for interrogation."

Ignis sighed in relief then realized, "They can't stay there."

Ravus nodded, "I'm about to call Cor, tell him what happened and ask that he sends an Crownsguard escort to bring all three of them to the Citadel… I hate to ask after all your help but could you contact Aunt Sylva for me and get her to set up what Gladio will need in the Shield's Quarters? I'm going to have to stay here for a while. I should call Luna too." He muttered the last part to himself.

Ignis nodded, mind racing through the ramifications of this news. Had the children been the target all along? And the kidnapping just a way to gauze the importance of Iris and Gladio in Clarus' eyes?

Those thoughts occupied his mind as he dialed Sylva's phone number and quickly let her know about the change of plans. Lunafreya was with her, and thus Ignis was able to let her know Ravus would be staying at the headquarters for a while longer.

As he looked at the lights shining through the city, Ignis allowed most of his tension to fade. He had done his duty and everyone was safe and would be back on their feet soon. Ignis looked down at the phone in his hand and smiled as he thought of a good reward for Iris' courage.

"Prompto? Sorry to disturb you, Gladio will be transferred to the Citadel by morning. Could you do me a favor on your way there tomorrow morning? Drop by my apartment and pick these ingredients up…" Gladio had been complaining of how Iris had been craving some Moogle ShortCake.


	37. Blackmail, Kidnapping and Assassinations

5 times someone went after Noctis and 1 time Noctis went after someone.

Noctis age 12

Noctis walked through the garden with a scowl on his face. Prompto was gone with his parents for a family night, and Ignis was with his Uncle preparing for a hard exam for a pre-college class.

To make things even more boring, Gladio and his dad were away on a training weekend together, which left Noctis all alone for the first time in a while. Alone and bored.

Noctis dropped down to sit by the edge of the pond, grabbing a few pebbles strewn about and tossed them one by one into the water. He watched the ripples spread with a heavy sigh; he wasn't used to being alone anymore.

The usual bustle of the Citadel was just white noise for Noct; the footsteps of guards and staff going more or less unnoticed as he stared into the pond. He closed his eyes, thoughts wandering freely from one idea to another as he tried to figure out what to do alone.

The sound of a throat clearing from behind startled Noctis out of his reverie. His head jerked up from where they had laid on his arms when he had fallen asleep. The movement made him groan as his body scolded Noct for falling asleep in such an awkward position.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" Came the concerned question. A figure dressed in the uniform of the Citadel messengers knelt down by his side.

Noctis nodded stiffly and slowly unfolded his limbs with a wince. The messenger hovered over the prince and waited until he was standing before saying, "His Majesty sent me to look for you, Your Highness. He has asked that I escort you somewhere."

Noct's eyes brighten and he forgot about the pain in his joints and back. "Really? Where are we going?"

The messenger smiled and brought a finger to his lips, "I'm afraid that's a secret Your Highness. Please come with me."

Noctis nodded and followed after them with a smile. He had to almost run to keep up with the messenger and Noct knew he'd regret it tomorrow, but right now the pain flashing through his body didn't matter - only the fact that he was going to spend some time with his dad.

Or so he thought.

Noctis opened his eyes to overwhelming darkness and panicked. He tried to scream but something thick and immovable was in his mouth making it hard to breathe.

He tried to dig what was in his mouth out but his hands were numb and something cold and tight kept his hands together behind his back. He tried to get up and run but found that every movement of his legs shot shards of pure pain through his spine.

Noct was scared; how had the day turned out like this? He was scared, alone and somewhere dark with no way to move or run or protect himself!

Noctis started sobbing, the sound muffled by what was in his mouth. He tried to curl up as much as possible but realized with another jolt of fear that his legs weren't listening to him.

Did he get hurt again? It was so dark! What if he was outside of the city? That sound! Was it a daemon?

The questions and fears swirled in his mind, feeding each other until Noct could only lay where he was crying and shivering helplessly. Scared by the dark and the unknown situation that surrounded him.

Noctis didn't know how long he had been there nor how long he had been unconscious. Had anyone even noticed he was gone? What if they hadn't? How long would it take before they started looking for him?

His chest felt tight, his breath coming in short rasps, and everything seemed to be shifting and moving around him. The darkness pressed ever closer on Noct, a suffocating weight that dug into his mind the longer he was within it.

Every sound, every whisper of motion seemed amplified without his sight to tell him what was around him. Noctis wanted desperately to hear the sound of the heavy boots worn by the Crownsguard, or the whispers of the staff as they moved between their duties within his home.

He wanted to hear Gladio's mocking voice telling him to wake up and come train with him and feel his hands lessen the pain of his injuries. He wanted to hear Ignis cooking and smell the food his friend made. He wanted to hear the soft click of the shutter from Prompto's camera and see the smile that almost always found its way on the boy's face.

"Noctis!"

The shout broke through the painful silence that surrounded Noctis. Noctis twisted his head as much as he could toward the right, towards the familiar voice that promised safety and comfort.

A sliver of light appeared then grew to become a door, the illumination broken by the figure standing in it. Regis Lucis Caelum, his dad, was here.

2) Noctis age 14

Noctis grinned as the lunch bell rang. As interesting as his teacher made science, he was more than happy to get out of the classroom for a bit.

Prompto seemed to have the same idea as he bounced over and swung his arm around Noct's shoulders, "Noct-Noct, let's go eat outside!"

Noct chuckled fondly at the nickname. Prompto had started making up new nicknames every odd day for the last week-and-a-half after having a discussion with Ignis about the meaning of nicknames.

Noctis followed Prompto into the yard towards their favorite hangout spot under the only red maple tree of the school. Ignis had made both their lunches today and he was looking forward to the grilled teriyaki.

Noctis snuck glances at Prompto throughout his meal, hiding his smile by taking bites of his lunch. Recently Noct had found himself admiring Prompto more and more often, warmth filling his chest whenever he caught the way Prompto's eyelashes shone in the sun.

His heart skipped a beat whenever Prompto smiled at him, and Noct thanked the Astrals for all the training his dad insisted he took in maintaining a straight face under any circumstance. Noct was absolutely certain that without that training his face would be permanently sunburnt red.

As it was, Noct found himself hopelessly distracted by anything Prompto did. Why did he have to fall in love with the most amazing, adorable, enthusiastic and delectable guy in the world? Noct mentally groaned at himself - who uses 'delectable' to describe a hot guy anymore?

Noctis was doomed. He had done something unbearably horrible by falling in love with his best friend. He liked Prompto so much but… how could he say anything when it might make Prompto mad; or even worse, overly-conscious of himself?

He could never forgive himself if he made Prompto feel uncomfortable.

Noctis was startled out of his thoughts but Prompto, "Hey, Noct? Do you have anything after school?"

Noct looked over to his friend and shook his head, "Not that I know of."

Prompto grinned, "Great! Let's go to the park! Some of the flowers have started blooming!" He kept on chatting, telling Noct about the various flowers he wanted to see and the filters he'd use for each.

Noct barely listened to him, lost in admiring the glow of Prompto's cheeks and the excitement shining in his eyes. He was just so adorable! Noct nodded at all the right places as he enjoyed the wonderful sight that was an excited Prompto.

The last bell of the day came quickly for the lovestruck prince as he struggled to keep his attention on the teacher rather than the ever distracting sight of Prompto shifting impatiently on his chair. Prompto shot to his feet and turned to Noct with pleading eyes.

Noct chuckled and grabbed his bag before motioning Prompto to lead the way. They walked side by side, chatting and laughing about various things until they arrived at the garden.

Prompto tossed Noct his schoolbag and went in without waiting, camera in hand. Noct laughed at his exuberance and followed after him with a smile. If holding Prompto's bag helped him in anyway, then Noct would gladly serve as his personal bag holder.

The two spent a few hours there, Prompto lost in his photography and Noct lost in his observation of Prompto. It took a phone call from Ignis to remind them that time was a thing and they both hurried back to the Citadel.

The rest of the week passed by normally for Noct, and on Friday he waved Prompto off towards the Immigration Center like every week. As he watched Prompto disappear into the subway station, Noct was surprised by seeing a group of student from his school coming towards him.

With a shrug, he turned away and started walking back home. As Noctis walked slowly, he soon found himself being called out by an unfamiliar voice, "Hey Prince Noctis! Wait up!"

Noctis turned around, keeping his face carefully polite as he faced the people that wanted to talk with him. Most of the student were older than he was, some of them were children of nobility and others were the children of rich Insomnians. All in total, Noct found himself with a group of ten people standing in a loose semicircle in front of him

Noctis tensed up as they got closer, the looks the students were sharing with each other were heavy with intent and Noct doubted it was a good sign for him. "Yes?" He asked after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

A older girl stepped forward, a big self important smirk on her face. "Hello Prince Noctis, I am Oralia Runos of the House Runos. My apologies for rudely calling to you but we were hoping to talk with you for a little bit."

Noct stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue talking. Oralia looked somewhat surprised by his silence and looked over to a fashionably dressed boy by her side, who nodded once, before she spoke again. "Please excuse my rudeness, Your Highness, but I shall be blunt."

She motioned to an envelope being extended towards Noctis by another of the group. Noctis frowned slightly at it, searching for anything out of the ordinary before he took it.

Inside were a dozen or so pictures. Pictures of him and Prompto. More specifically, pictures of Noctis looking at Prompto with obvious adoration on his face.

Noctis stared in horror at the pictures for several long minutes before he managed to wrench his gaze away to stare in a mixture of horror and anger at the girl.

Oralia smirked, "I'm glad I have your full attention Your Highness. It has come to our attention you have a rather... unprincely attraction towards that worthless blond friend of yours. Now we have nothing against him, but I'm quite certain that would not be the case should these be sent to certain news outlets..."

The boy behind Oralia sighed and pushed his way forward to stand looming over Noct, "Ya ya, you can play nice after Oralia." He glared at Noctis, "If you don't want those to be plastered everywhere then I suggest you use your princely authority to get us all nice, comfy jobs with the Crown. Got it?"

Noct didn't get a chance to reply as a black car came to rolling stop and Gladio stepped out with a slightly menacing look on his face, "These guys causing you trouble Your Highness?"

The guy took one look at Gladio and blanched, quickly stepping away from the prince. Noct shook his head while frantically slipping the envelope into his bag and praying Gladio hadn't noticed it.

Gladio frowned as he stomped through the group to stand by Noctis side, shifting to be between Noct and the group. Oralia gave an appreciative look to the Shield before she offered a small but proper bow. "My apologies for disturbing you Your Highness."

The group quickly left the area but it didn't make Noct relax at all. He didn't know what to do, if he didn't do as they wanted then Prompto would be in danger!

He barely felt it as Gladio slipped a hand on his back, and allowed himself to be guided towards the car without protest. Noctis didn't care about what happened to him if the pictures came to light; his dad had been clear that Noctis' sexual or romantic preferences would not impact his love or support towards his son, but the way the public would react would be quite different.

Prompto would be in danger. Insomnia was quite conservative and xenophobic. Even with the slow change in attitude towards refugees and non-natives in the Crown City, Noct could easily imagine the anger many would feel at the news that the prince was in love with not only another man, but a Niflheim immigrant to boot.

"Noct!"

The shout from Gladio jerked Noctis out of the endless loop of worry and fear that had claimed him since he had laid eyes on the pictures. He stared at Gladio for a moment, absently noting the worry etched on his face before managing to mumble, "Sorry… not feeling well."

Noct got up and headed straight to his room, ignoring the worried look Gladio then Ignis sent his way as he did. Noct dropped face first into bed with a groan, what was he going to do?

His phone buzzed and Noctis automatically checked it. The name attached to the pictures sent to him would normally make him smile but right at that moment, it only made Noct feel unbearably guilty. He shifted on his back and read the message Prompto had sent with the three pictures.

 _Made me think of you. Can't wait to see you later._

Noctis closed his eyes, feeling the tears burning as they slid down his cheeks. How could he not notice someone taking pictures of them!

A knock on the door had him hurriedly wipe his tears before he called out, "Come in!"

Gladio entered the room bearing some cups and Ignis followed right after with a plate of sweet-smelling tarts. They both made themselves at home on Noct's bed and stayed silent as Noct forced himself to take a few bites of Ignis' cooking.

It tastes like ash in his mouth. Noct stared at the tart with disgust, aimed at himself rather than what Ignis made. His phone buzzed again and he glances at it, the newest picture from Prompto proudly displayed on the screen.

A single sunflower basking in the sun.

Noct took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to stare with new resolve at Ignis. He thought about what he wanted to say, _how_ he had to say it before he finally opened his mouth. "Someone is threatening to hurt Prom to get to me."

That single phrase had both Gladio and Ignis become razor focused. Ignis folded his hands on his lap and asked, "Can you explain what you mean Noctis?"

Noctis frowned then said slowly, hesitantly, "It's not directly but… If I don't do what they asked they'll release something dangerous for Prompto to the public." he went quiet.

Gladio growled, "It's those kids from earlier right?" Noct nodded.

Ignis sighed and readjusted his glasses, "I suppose details don't really matter since we know who is responsible." His smile turned sharp, "Daring to blackmail the Royal Family... I dare hope they are aware of the consequences of such an act."

Noctis was surprised when a hand dropped on his head, ruffling his hair and drawing a grumble from him. He met Gladio's ruthless grin with a shy, thankful one of his own and listened as his Shield turned to Ignis to say, "Come on Specs. I'll help you round them up and deal with this quietly."

Noctis let Gladio pull him to his feet and looked over at his school bag. The plain envelope was still in there. As he followed his friends into the living room, Noctis made his choice. No one was allowed to go after Prompto because of him. He only hoped this wouldn't ruin their friendship.

A single text went out to Prompto: _Hey, can I talk to you when you get back? Nothing serious just have something to say to you._

3) Noctis age 17

Noctis huffed in amusement as Prompto swore in the bathroom again. His boyfriend had been in there for the last 45 minutes, trying out different hairstyles and outfits for their night out without being able to decide on anything.

''Noct!'' Prompto whined as he stuck his head out the bathroom and showed the lazy prince a dark grey shirt with red swirling designs, ''What do you think? Too flashy? Not enough?''

Noct laughed and shook his head, ''Prompto, you look drop dead gorgeous in everything you've shown me so far. And my opinion is the only one that matters right? Unless you want to tell me something.'' He rested his head on an open palm and smirked as Prompto blushed and ducked back into the bathroom.

Prompto came back out a few minutes later, his tight sleeveless red shirt simply enhancing the light make up he had put on. He sauntered over to Noct and gave him a sultry look before whispering, ''On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you want to jump me right now?''

Noct leaned forward to kiss him before he answered, ''20. Now let's go and have fun so we can get back here and have our own party afterwards.'' Prompto giggled and returned the kiss.

Their destination was a newly opened dance club on the edge of the Entertainment District. Tonight was the third day of the week long opening special, each night having a theme to encourage people to come and see the club. Tonight had the theme of rock-n-roll industrial and Prompto had jumped on the occasion of finding new groups while having fun.

There was a line waiting to get into the club; the music heard even outside the heavily soundproofed walls and Prompto was bopping his head to the beat as they chatted together. Stepping into the club itself was like stepping through a physical curtain of sound. Noct grabbed Prompto's hand tightly as the blond went straight to the dance floor, dragging Noctis with him.

Noctis found himself dancing by Prompto, feeling utterly self-conscious at first until Prompto pointed out that no one cared as they enjoyed themselves. People moved to dance with them, some even on the pair though rarely for long, and in general Noctis was having a lot of fun with Prompto by his side.

Eventually, Noct found himself tugging Prompto away from the dance floor and towards the bar, desperate for a drink after all that dancing. They managed to shove their way to the bar and catch one of the three bartenders' attention quickly.

''What can I get you boys?'' The large man asked as he came to stand in front of them, his eyes glancing to Noctis with a slight frown for a moment.

Prompto hummed before he ordered , ''I'll have a Oracle Bomb and he'll take the King's Mouth.'' Noct almost choked at the name of the second drink and, pouting, poked Propto in the ribs. Prompto laughed. ''Trust me, you'll love it!''

Noctis grumbled under his breath before he turned to look as the bartender made the two drinks in front of them. It was a show in itself, the way the man threw the cups and ingredients around before mixing them together and finally pouring them into strangely shaped glasses.

The Oracle Bomb was a clear drink with ice and a few cherries floating within while his own drink, the King's Mouth, was dark red with silver candy flakes swirling around. Noct grabbed his and took a careful sip. It was mostly sour but held just enough sweetness from the silver candy flakes to balance it all out easily. ''You were right Prom, I do like it.''

Prompto laughed and slung his arms around Noct's shoulder, ''See? I know my drinks Noct.'' He drank from his own glass and Noct took another sip of his own.

He was about take a third when someone bumped into him and Noct swore as he dropped his drink and it spilled all over the floor and on Prompto.

''Shit! I'm so sorry! Shit!'' A brown haired girl, maybe a year or two older than Noctis, exclaimed as she made flustered movements with her hands. Noct glared at her before turning to grab some napkins from the bar and tried to help Prompto clean up his shirt.

Prompto groaned, ''Oh man, this is going to get so sticky!'' He looked up at Noct with a pout, ''I got to go wash it at least a bit. Sorry.'' He finished his Oracle Bomb in one go and dropped the glass back on the bar counter.

Noct shook his head, ''It's fine, just try not to take forever this time.'' He grinned as Prompto mockingly glared at him before making a beeline to the washroom, Noct following at a slower pace and leaning by the washroom door to wait.

The girl who bumped into him suddenly showed up, red faced, and thrust another King's Mouth up at Noctis. ''Here!''

Noctis grabbed the glass before it spilt over him by her enthusiastic movement and watched in startled surprise as she promptly disappeared back in the crowd. ''What in the world?'' he mumbled to himself, shaking his head.

Prompto didn't take too long before he returned and the blond frowned at the drink in Noct's hands. ''Where did you get that one?''

Noct shrugged, ''The girl who bumped into me just shoved it in my hands.'' He caught the look from Prompto and added, ''Don't worry I'm not going to drink something I didn't see prepared. Come on, let's go home.''

Prompto nodded and grabbed the drink from Noct's hand to place it on the nearest flat surface before they headed toward the door, threading their hands together. They had to pass through the edge of the dance floor, which was even more crowded than when they had arrived, and Noctis winced as a dancer ended up slamming into him.

He was about to shrug off the person when the world suddenly spun on itself and he felt his hand slip out of Prompto's. Noct dropped to the floor, gasping to hold himself steady as dancers surged around him, making his sudden dizziness return with a vengeance and he clasps a hand over his mouth as he gagged.

He felt hands grab him by the shoulders and drag him back up and away from the dance floor. His sight was too blurry for Noct to know who was keeping him standing, but the blond hair had him figure out it was Prompto. He muttered, ''Gonna throw up…'' but Prompto didn't seem to hear him.

Every step sent the world moving crazily around him but Noct trusted Prompto and allowed him to drag him out into the streets, the cold air and sudden muteness of the music a good indication he was safely out of the club. Noct groaned, ''Prom… Need to stop.''

Prompto didn't stop and that more than anything struck the prince as strange. He forced himself to look up and felt fear grasp his heart. The person standing by him was not Prompto!

Noct brought his arms up and tried to shove the stranger away without luck. His body felt empty and distant, his thought slow and heavy. The stranger laughed at the prince's feeble attempts to push him away, and simply tightened his grip while dragging Noctis towards a car that came to a stop at the end of the small alley they were in.

Noctis struggled to get out, trying to call his magic but finding himself struggling to think of anything the more time went by. He was staring at his own blurred reflection on the car window when he heard Prompto's voice ring out, ''Let him go you bastard!''

Noctis was shoved at the car roughly as the first shot rang out, unknown hands extending from within the car to try and drag him into it. As the adrenaline seemed to finally kick in, Noctis twirled unsteadily on his feet and threw himself away from the car. A loud screech sounded as he fell.

He landed in a puddle of red liquid, the smell of copper filling his nose and the nausea he had been feeling for the last little while became too much. Noctis felt a hand drop on his back as he finally stopped being sick, making him jerk away with a bit off whimper only to hear Prompto whisper softly, ''Hey, it's just me Noct. Sorry but we need to get out of here. Gladio is on his way.''

He looked over his shoulder at the blurry blond figure that was there, saw the extended hand, and then knew no more.

4) Noctis age 18

Noctis sighed as he watched Ignis come into his office bearing another pile of documents to add to the ever growing pile on his desk. "More?" He whined, looking pleadingly at Ignis.

Ignis gave him an exasperated look as he dropped the papers beside the others, "Don't you start Noctis. You chose to put this all off yesterday to go fishing." He moved around the desk and dropped a hand on the back of Noct's neck, "These are the last ones for today. If you finish everything in the next hour, I'll make you your favorite food for supper after the parade. Deal?"

Noct leaned into the touch and nodded, "Fine." He took his pen back and looked at the paper Ignis placed in front of him, a document about rebuilding an old factory that had been damaged in the last storm they had. He double checked the amount on the paper before he signed it and passed it to Ignis.

The hour, thankfully, passed quickly and Noctis groaned as he stretched his back after putting the finishing touch on the report he was to present at tomorrow's meeting. He looked up at the time and hummed, "Hey Iggy. We still have another hour before we're to meet with Dad, right?" Ignis nodded. "Let's go to the garden then!"

Ignis looked at the clock then at the papers he still had left to do but Noctis was already up and at the door. Noct turned around and looked at Ignis expectantly, and Ignis simply couldn't think of a reason not to put off these minor things to spend some time with his beloved.

They walked through the busy hall of the Citadel, Noctis nodding at the staff whenever they stopped and bowed to him. The preparation for the parade in honor of the official inauguration of Noctis as Crown Prince had kept everyone involved busy over the last two weeks, and security was quite high due to a few credible threats following the announcement of the celebration.

Noctis felt himself relax as he walked with Ignis; the whole "official inauguration" thing had put him in the spotlight since his graduation, something Noctis had never really enjoyed. To make matters worse, the sudden increase in surveillance from news agencies and tabloid had meant increased trouble finding time to spend with his boyfriends, and that made all of them unhappy.

Hopefully once the whole celebration was over, they would be left alone and able to return to their normal life without too much delay. Noct cast a quick glance around, and finding no one watching them, snuck a quick kiss from Ignis. He'd missed it.

Ignis seemed to be of the same mind as he too looked around before leaning down to return the kiss and whisper, "If this circus doesn't calm down soon, I might be forced to take drastic actions. I need you, Noct." The words sent a pleasant shiver down Noct's back but footsteps forced them to back away from each other before he could do or say anything back.

Soon enough, Noct found himself getting dressed in the lavish robes made for the occasion. They were heavy and almost too warm for the season, but the council had insisted on Noctis wearing the traditional robes of the office and so he was stuck with them.

Taking a last look at himself in the mirror, Noctis sighed and left his changing room to met with his Crownsguard. Gladio whistled as Noct showed up, "Looking good princess. Ready to be stared at by your citizens?"

Prompto elbowed Gladio and scowled, "Be nice Gladio! He's nervous enough without you adding to it." The blond turned to Noct and grinned, "But… You do look really nice Noct. I want to take pictures of you before you throw them in a corner and forget they exist, got it?"

Noct rolled his eyes, "Like Specs would let me do that." He turned to look at Ignis and blinked in surprised before a grin split his face, "Guess I know what you think of this."

Ignis was surprisingly red-faced and seemed two seconds away from either tackling Noctis into a sloppy make out session or just plain running away. Instead he took several deep breaths, cleared his throat and finally said, "You look… wonderful Your Highness. Shall we?"

Gladio and Prompto grinned in amusement but didn't tease Ignis about his reaction, instead they simply motioned for Noctis to walk on and followed behind the prince. They arrived at the lobby a few minutes early and Noctis had to fight the embarrassed blush that threatened to overtake him every time someone stopped to stare at him.

"Looking nice, Princeling." Crowe called out as she walked up to the foursome, followed by Libertus and Pelna. None of them bothered with bowing, ignoring the glares sent their way by the more traditional staff, guards, and Council Members.

Noctis grimaced, "Again? Come one Crowe, give me a break with the nickname!"

Crowe laughed and shook her head, "Not happening, not until you kick my ass in a sparring match Princeling."

Prompto grinned in amusement but changed the subject before it could devolve into an argument, "Nice to see you three; are you part of the security detail, too?"

Pelna scowled, "Kinda, Nyx drew the short straw on assignments so we're supposed to mix into the crowd and follow the main float."

Libertus added, "We just arrived and the streets are so crowded it's going to be a pain moving around." He smirked at Noctis, "Hope you're okay with crowds; it's bigger than the one that came to see the Oracle's birthday."

Noctis groaned, "Seriously?" He shook his head, "Let's get this over with. Ignis promised me my favorite for supper. It might just make this whole ordeal worth it." He waved goodbye and headed towards Ravus and Cor, both standing in a corner and talking quietly with each other.

The two commanders nodded at his approach, Ravus lifting an eyebrow at the outfit Noctis was wearing. "Well, I can see why you were complaining about wearing these. They look unwieldy and cumbersome."

Noctis sighed, "Thank you! I'm glad someone agrees these things are ridiculous." He looked over at Cor and asked, "So anything new about those threats?"

Cor shook his head, "No but we've changed the route for the parade this morning and increased the security. Ravus has the Glaives both in the crowd and on the rooftops. The Guards will be responsible for securing the route as the parade moves along."

Ravus nodded then turned to Gladio, Ignis and Prompto, "You three will have to decide where to be since the float only has a place for Noctis and one more. The other two can walk alongside the float."

The three shared glanced before Ignis spoke, "I would prefer to stay by Noctis' side as his adviser. The two of you will be more useful keeping an eye out from the ground, not to mention it will be easier for you to react should you see something."

Gladio shrugged, "If that's what you think then it's fine by me." Prompto nodded in agreement.

With the final details decided, Noctis quickly found himself standing on top of a black and gold stand with Ignis slightly behind him. He was a good meter above the crowd that now flanked both sides of the street leading to the Citadel's main gate, and was starting to feel nervous as the screams and shouts of the crowd reached him.

Ignis reached out and placed a hand discreetly on Noctis' back, rubbing slow circles on the tense muscles there. "Deep breaths, Noctis. I'm here with you." Noctis nodded and forced several shuddering breaths in before the marching band started to play, announcing the beginning of the parade.

The metal gates opened wide and the string of floats started moving through the city in a slow but organised manner. Noctis saw his dad standing a few lengths away waving at the crowd, and Noctis did the same. People were shouting blessings at him from below; children laughing as flowers were thrown from certain floats into the crowd.

Noctis smiled, it was noisy and almost overwhelming but everyone here seemed to be happy to see him. There were a few hecklers but no more than expected, and no sign of any threats as they wandered through the streets leading to their final destination, the statue of the First King.

Noctis relaxed slightly as they turned the final corner and the Statue appeared to them in its immense glory. His dad was already making his slow way down from his float, Clarus and Cor flanking him with ease. Noctis turned slightly to look at Ignis, who met his gaze with a proud smile, and was about to turn back when Ignis' expression changed suddenly.

One moment, Ignis was smiling at him and the next, his face was a mask of horror before Noctis was violently shoved to the side. Noctis landed with a pain huff on the floor, Ignis' familiar weight over him.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Ignis gritting his teeth as blood dripped from his neck onto the floor beside Noct. "Ignis!" Noctis tried to turn under Ignis' weight, worry dictating his movements but Ignis hissed and shook his head at him.

"Stay still Noct. I'm fine, it's just a scratch." Ignis stated in a pain filled voice. They both heard Gladio and Prompto shout up at them and Ignis raised his voice to reply, "Noctis is unharmed! What happened?"

Gladio replied, "Sniper from the top of an apartment building a few blocks down from here. The Glaives have it covered! Stay down until we're out of sight." They could barely hear him over the chaos that now filled the streets as the crowd panicked from the assassination attempt on the Prince.

Noctis finally managed to shift to his back under Ignis and reached out to put pressure on the bleeding wound. "You didn't tell them you were injured." Noctis grumbled.

Ignis smiled down at him and simply stated, "It's not important right now."

Noctis glared at his adviser and muttered, "Just for that I'm going to be cooking tonight and you'll be at Prompto's and Gladio's tender mercies." Not that it was much of a punishment.

5) Noctis age 19

It's rare for Noctis to spend the night anywhere other than his quarters at the Citadel or his apartment, but tonight was one of those nights. Gladio had invited them over to the Amicitia mansion for a night of games and beer while Iris was away on a school field trip. He had told Jared to take the night off, since he didn't want to deal with the butler's dislike of Prompto when the point of the night was to enjoy themselves together.

Noctis grinned in excitement as he caught sight of Ignis already cooking in the kitchen when he and Prompto arrived. "Hey Iggy! It smells great!"

Ignis glanced at the two young men and lifted an eyebrow at the sight of the three bags full of junk food they had brought. "Honestly boys, junk food?"

Prompto grinned shyly before sauntering over to steal a kiss from the cook. "Sorry Iggy, Noct insisted we buy some classics."

Noctis squawked indignantly, "I did not! You're the one who wanted to grab the chips."

Gladio laughed as he hugged Noct from behind, "Don't worry, I'll help you get back at him tonight." He gently turned Noctis head so he could kiss his boyfriend soundly.

Noctis melted in Gladio's arms, and he quickly found himself being swept off his feet for an enjoyable night with his boyfriends. It ended with the four of them sprawled on Gladio's bed, Prompto curled against Ignis with Noctis tucked under the man's other arm, and Gladio hugging them all.

Noctis dreamt of being warm and comfortable until something woke him up suddenly. Gladio was halfway off the bed, his sword in hand and growling warningly at intruders surrounding them.

Ignis was awake and pushing Noct and Prompto behind him almost instantly. There were 4 intruders standing around their bed with blades in hand, most of them staring intently at Noctis.

Gladio swung his sword at the closest intruder, only to have him duck under the blade, ignore Gladio completely, and run straight at Noctis. Noctis scrambled back, raising a hand to summon a weapon to protect himself; but Ignis was faster, throwing himself between the assailant and Noctis without any hesitation.

"Ignis!" Prompto's shout was followed by a gunshot ringing out through the night, and a pained grunt in response as a dark figure collapsed to Gladio's floor.

Noctis finally had the secure weight of his engine blade in hand and, after quickly checking around to see that Ignis had his opponent pinned down and Gladio was now facing off a third assassin, found himself bringing his sword to block a dagger coming sideways towards his ribs. The assassin was a lot stronger than Noctis expected and the weight of the blow, combined with the fact Noct was on a very fluffy bed, sent him stumbling back.

The assassin facing Gladio saw the opening created by the movement, and threw his dagger at the prince even as Gladio swung his sword downward towards his now unprotected body. The dagger flew straight at Noctis' heart, Gladio and Ignis unable to react in time to the unexpected throw but thankfully Prompto had his gun up and ready to react.

A series of quick shots rang out, each shot hitting the dagger in rapid succession and dropping it to the ground. Noctis regained his balance and managed to push the surprised assassin off himself just as Prompto buried a bullet in each of the man's limbs.

The silence that followed was broken only by their pants and the groans of pain from the surviving assailants. Noct looked around to his boyfriends, relief blooming in his chest as he confirmed their safety.

Ignis had kicked out his opponent and his eyes were raking over Noctis and Prompto, checking both of his lovers for any injuries. Gladio had abandoned the dead assassin, and was moving towards the surviving assassin with furious determination.

Noctis felt Prompto wrap an arm around his waist, his other hand still holding his gun. Noct allowed Prompto to drag him down into the bed, leaning into his chest as they both watched Ignis and Gladio talk into their phones, letting people know about the assassination attempt on the prince.

6) Noctis age 12

Noctis frowned as he watched Ravus stalk away towards the training halls. It was his 18th birthday this Friday and Ravus refused to hear anything about it.

It was really frustrating for Noct to watch Luna, Prompto and even his dad try to talk to the new Kingsglaive about celebrating the occasion, only for Ravus to walk away, or on one occasion actually warp away, from them. Noctis crossed his arms and thought on how he could fix this.

It's not like Noct didn't understand why Ravus was acting this way. The 18th birthday of a person was really important after all, and Ravus had never completely recovered from seeing his mom die protecting him; so of course the stubborn idiot didn't want to even think about his birthday when his parents should have been there with him to celebrate. But Ravus still had Luna!

Noctis turned to look at his friends. "Ravus is being a stubborn idiot again."

Ignis lifted his head to look at Noct with a disapproving frown. "That's not a nice thing to say Noctis."

Noctis moved over to the sofa and dropped down beside Prompto, "It's true though! His birthday is in 4 days! We can't just not do anything!"

Gladio reached over Prompto and ruffled Noct's hair. "If he doesn't want to do anything then it's his choice. Not like you can kidnap him for his own pa… Noct! No!"

Noct eyes had grown wider and excited as Gladio talked, his frown quickly turning into a grin, "Yes!"

Prompto looked between Noct, Gladio and Ignis in confusion, "What are you two talking about? If Ray-Ray doesn't want to have a party, then that's fine isn't it?"

Noct pushed Gladio's hand of his head, turning to stare in excitement at Prompto, "It's his 18th birthday Prom! Not only is he a prince and technically the ruler of Tenebrae until Luna is older, but he's our friend and we can't just let him do nothing! It's sacri… sacril..."

Ignis sighed and provided, "Sacrilegious, Noct?"

Noct nodded, "Yup! What Specs just said. So we have to do something for him! And if he won't willingly go, then we'll just have to make him!"

Prompto looked dubious at Noctis' excited suggestion. "I don't know Noct. I'm sure he has a reason for not wanting to have a party. I think it's better to just let him be…"

Noctis shook his head, "I know but it's still not right! Ravus has a lot of people who like him now and he's safe so we have to remind him of that!"

Gladio, Ignis and Prompto stared at their prince, then at each other before Ignis sighed in defeat and asked, "Very well, what did you have in mind?"

Noctis grinned and explained his incredible plan.

Four days later, Noctis ran up to Ravus and exclaimed, "Happy birthday Ravus!"

Ravus looked torn for a moment before he finally acknowledged the birthday wish. "Thank you, Noctis."

Noctis grinned up at him, "So… I know you didn't want a party or anything special but you got me such a nice present for my birthday that I really wanted to give you something so here!" Noctis handed Ravus a small gift-wrapped box before running off without waiting for a reaction.

Ravus stared at the little prince's retreating back then down at the box in his hands. He sighed and tucked the gift under his arm before heading to his office in the Kingsglaive HQ.

He greeted his fellow Glaives as he walked down the hall and was glad to see that most of them said little about his birthday. Ravus unlocked his office and stepped into it before he glanced at the gift from Noct once more.

Ravus stared at it for a few minutes before finally getting around to actually opening it. The silvery white paper came apart easily and Ravus found himself taking a deep sharp breath at the sight wanting for him.

It was a photo album, the cover of it showing Queen Sylva and her husband holding a small Ravus in between them. He felt his chest tighten as he reached out with trembling hands to open the album.

Ravus went through each pages within the album, tears slowly streaming down his cheeks as he saw pictures he had forgotten about, pictures he had thought lost in the fires of Niflheim's invasion. As he closed the album, over an hour after opening Noctis' gift, Ravus wiped his eyes and leaned back on his chair. "That brat…" he muttered.

A knock at the door had him jerking up straight and he quickly pushed the album beneath some documents, out of sight to whoever was at his door. "Yes?"

Ignis slipped in, a tray holding tea and some tarts in his hands. "I apologize for interrupting, Ravus. I hoped to wish you a happy birthday and give you a personal gift as thanks for your help this year."

Ravus frowned; the timing of Ignis' arrival was a little too perfect. Still, he got up from his desk and joined Ignis around the coffee table set against the wall. "My thanks Ignis, though it is not necessary for you to give me anything."

Ignis placed the tray down and started serving Ravus a few tarts and a cup of what appeared to be his favorite tea from Tenebrae. A tea that he knew cost an arm and a leg whether it was through legal or less-than-legal means.

Ravus carefully took the cup in his hand, inhaling deeply the smell of the ulwaat berry that wafted up from the tea. The first sip sent Ravus relling into his memories, remembering all the times he had shared tea with his family.

He blinked rapidly to keep more tears from falling, reaching out to take one of the still warm tarts and taking a bite out of it. The taste of ulwaat honey mixing with several types of berries exploded in his mouth, "This is amazing Ignis! Where did you manage to get these ingredients?"

Ignis smiled and took a sip of his own cup of tea, "His Majesty was kind enough to help me gather the ingredients I needed."

Ravus looked down at his cup, "I see. You have my thanks, Ignis. And do thank Noctis for his gift." He glanced over at his desk for a moment before returning to his cup of tea; perhaps a quiet morning was acceptable for his birthday.

Ignis left an hour or so later, leaving Ravus feeling drained but strangely calm; more than he had expected considering the date. He returned to his work, going through the paperwork that accompanied being part of the Kingsglaives.

About two hours later, Ravus finally finished his report and was looking over the one from his teammates (mostly because few of them wanted to deal with minor editing and Ravus didn't mind). Work done for the morning and still feeling calm, Ravus headed to the cafeteria to eat something before he met Gladio for their almost daily spar.

He received a few well-wishes as he ate, but again found himself glad that most of the Glaives were content to ignore the significance of the date for his sake. It didn't mean that the staff didn't give him a cupcake when they served his food, but that was tolerable as birthday reminders go.

Gladio was waiting for him in the Glaives training ground, already going through his warm up. He greeted Ravus with a grin, "Hey Ravus, ready to get your ass kicked?"

Ravus snorted, "I believe I'll be the one kicking your ass Amicitia." He set about warming up slowly.

Gladio huffed, "How are you feeling?" Ravus cast him a sharp glance and Gladio added, "You've been cagey about today for the past month. Just wanted to make sure you're feeling alright."

Ravus straightened with a sigh, "... It's been better than I expected honestly. Noctis was actually up early enough to give me a gift before I headed over to work and than Ignis dropped by with some tea and tarts. It was… nice."

Gladio grinned as he grabbed his training sword of the rack and threw Ravus his usual sword at the same time. "Good." He smirked and proposed, "First one whose shoulders hit the floor loses?"

Ravus returned the smirk, "Loser cleans up?" Gladio hefted his sword and nodded. Ravus moved in that moment and laughed as Gladio staggered back from the strike.

The sparring match lasted for a while, Ravus and Gladio exchanging blow after blow until finally Ravus managed to sweep Gladio off his feet with an exhilarated grin. "My win!"

Gladio sat up, panting and grinned at Ravus, "Good spar Ravus. Working out with the Glaives has done you some good. Your strikes are a lot less predictable now."

Ravus flushed at the compliment and helped Gladio get up. "I… Thank you, it means a lot to me."

Gladio grinned and motioned for Ravus to hit the showers "I know. Now off you go. I know Lunafreya wants to spend some time with you."

Ravus smiled gratefully as he left the training hall and headed to the shower room to clean up. He took his time in the warm water to relax and catch his breath before finally turning it off and getting out.

Only to stare in annoyance at the gift left on top of his clothes, a note from the sender making Ravus groan in exasperation. **Have fun with this. Gladiolus.**

Ravus grabbed the book and checked the description on the back. He felt his cheeks burn at the salacious words printed on the back and swore at the brat for finding such an item.

Ravus grumbled under his breath as he stashed the highly inappropriate book in his bag before leaving. Only to be greeted by Prompto's beaming smile. "Hey Ray-Ray! Happy birthday!"

Ravus jumped in surprise, and part unreasonable guilt, staring at his pseudo-cousin in surprise. "Prompto! You surprised me."

Prompto grinned and gave Ravus a quick hug before announcing, "I'm kidnapping you!" Ravus stared in utter confusion and Prompto faltered, biting his lower lip before repeating, "I'm kidnapping you?" In a soft hesitant voice.

Ravus sighed and barely refrained from facepalming and he asked, "Noctis' idea?" Prompto blushed in embarrassment and nodded. Ravus sighed again, "What is he planning?"

Prompto shifted uneasily, "It's a surprise." He looked at Ravus from under his eyelashes and whispered, "Please?"

Ravus met Prompto's gaze and groaned. It was almost impossible to say no to him when he had such a hopeful look in his eyes. "Very well. You may kidnap me." Prompto reaction made him smile as the boy grabbed his hand and started pulling him through the halls.

Ravus allowed his cousin to drag him through several halls before he frowned and asked, "This is the staff quarters; where are we going?" Prompto simply shot him a smile over his shoulder but stayed silent. They stopped in front of a familiar door and Ravus blinked tears from his eyes as he looked at Prompto.

Prompto grinned, shifting from feet to feet in excitement. Ravus raised his free hand and knocked hesitantly on the door. It opened quickly, Sylva smiling as she motioned Ravus to enter with Lance by her side. Behind them, Ravus could see Lunafreya, Noctis, Gladio, Ignis standing with the King, Shield and his closest advisor. All of them smiling happily at him.


	38. Nightmares and Revelations

A/N: Noctis and Prompto aged 17, Ignis and Gladio about 20.

 _He watched as Noctis walked into an empty gas station, the doors slamming shut behind him only to become immobile bookshelves. Noctis looked around, bewildered at the room; a painting of two children playing with a dog hanging over one of the two beds. Lightning strikes outside the window._

 _Noctis is driving, flooring his car on the empty highway as Niflheim airships launch their missiles in an attempt to destroy the Chosen King. The shade of the Oracle watches on helplessly from beside a dead tree._

 _He watches, unable to move or help as Noctis suddenly rolls the car after spotting something by the side of the road - a dog?_

 _He wails, struggling to reach Noctis as the man is thrown out of the car._

 _The Oracle pants as she drops under the sword and surges up to retaliate against her attacker. Fire burns around her but it is the only light in sight._

 _He is relieved when Noctis pushes himself back to his feet without too much trouble and runs after the white dog. The dog leads the Chosen King into a desert and an upturned barge that flashes with lightning._

 _His breath stops as Noctis steps through into a metro car filled with soldiers, Niflheim soldiers. None of them try to stop Noctis as he continues to follow his guide._

 _He is stunned when the light flashes and shows him the Oracle's reflection on the glass instead of Noctis', but the man himself doesn't notice._

 _There are more soldiers at the stop but Noctis simply shoves past them and onto a wooden platform. Noctis' guide is several levels down and Noctis follows, carelessly shoving the soldiers between them before jumping down to a lower platform as the soldiers react by lifting their weapons._

 _He watches, cursing his helplessness, as Noctis barely makes it into the elevator unharmed._

 _The Oracle summons her barrier and flinches back as it is struck once, then twice; sending her flying backwards as she loses her grip on her trident. She strains to regain it but someone else gets to it first._

 _He falls with Noctis as the elevator disintegrates into endless dark. Noctis summons a kukri and uses it to slow himself down until he twists to his feet on a bridge. He is surrounded by MTs._

 _Noctis fights as he has been taught, using his warping and magic to devastating effect among the seemingly endless enemies. As Noctis flips away from the explosion he has just created, the Chosen King finds himself in a narrow hallway faced with a behemoth._

 _He watches with worry as Noctis is thrown around like a rag doll until his guide helps him dive into a mirror to emerge on a Niflheim base, once more surrounded by enemies. Noctis summons his lance to hand only for it to melt back into ether within seconds._

 _Noctis is stunned for a precious second but his training is thorough and he makes do with the unexpected lack of arsenal by taking a gun from the nearest soldier. Fighting his way out of the base is much harder; Noctis picks up several injuries and his shirt is shredded by the time he is faced with a Magitek Mech._

 _He watches as Noctis takes the Magitek Mech down but only through the sacrifice of his guide. He watches as Noctis runs to his guide only to have the ground collapse from under him, sending him falling once more through darkness._

 _He watches as Noctis pushes himself back up using the Oracle's trident as a crutch. Around him are great beasts, all three heads spewing fire as they watch the Chosen King. Noctis is panting and stares as his guide walks over and turns, eyes flashing golden red and its white coat turning black._

 _The Oracle shuffles backwards, away from the approaching killer with burning red eyes. There is a moment of deafening silence, then the Trident is thrust into her chest._

 _He watches as Noctis see the Oracle's corpse and looks down in horror at the blood coating his own hands and the Trident he is holding._

 _He watches unable to even cry as Noctis screams in anguish and drops down by Lunafreya's cooling corpse._

"REGIS!" A shout and heavy hands jerks him out of his nightmare with a fading scream.

Regis bolted upright, panting and shivering in his bed. Clarus was half kneeling to his right, his hands hovering over his King and wearing a worried expression on his face. Regis looked around him in semi panic. Noctis - he needed to see his son.

Clarus was saying something, but Regis didn't register what as he flung the sweat drenched blankets off and hurried out of his bed, ignoring the flare of pain from his waist and back. A rough hand grabbed his wrist; Clarus was calling out to him but Regis NEEDED to see Noctis _right away_.

He warped through the grip, barely registering the full thump of something hitting the floor, and walked straight to the window. His son's apartment wasn't overly far, it would be faster to drive himself over than to wait for a car, driver and escort to be ready.

Mind made up, Regis brought out and threw a dagger to the ground. It had been a while since he'd warped such a distance and Regis took a precious second to relish the freedom of free falling through the air. A second warp and he landed comfortably on the ground with only the slightest stumble.

He wasn't out of the Citadel quite yet, but the entrance to the parking area where his Regalia stood waiting was right there; and warping down the staircase rather than taking the elevator saved him quite some time. Regis was sitting in the driver's seat of the Regalia, about to drive off when the alarm started to sound. Regis ignored it as he made use of the excellent motor and the wonderful modifications done by Cid to go from 0 to 120km/h within a few seconds.

It was quite fortunate for everyone including Regis that it was close to 3am and no one was driving on the highway as the Regalia sped through the empty streets until he arrived at his destination. The apartment his son shares with Prompto is on one of the top floors, and it is only now that Regis realizes he is only wearing his boxers and nothing else.

He grumbled as he summoned a shirt and some pants, realizing as he stepped out of the car that he needed shoes too. Once decent, Regis walked into the empty mall through security, and took the elevator to the correct floor, hurrying to the correct apartment.

He didn't bother knocking on the door, simply using the key Noct had given him to enter without a sound, his heart still pounding with worry. The apartment entrance was dark and silent as Regis walked in for the first time. He knew the layout of the apartment thanks to Ignis' report and Prompto's many pictures so he was able to move quietly until he reached Noct's bedroom.

He quietly twisted the doorknob and pushed the door inwards, the room was as dark as the rest of the home but it's too silent for Regis' liking. He doesn't waste time flicking on the light switch and walking through the door only to freeze in place.

Noctis was fine; he could see him curled up in his bed breathing softly. Except… His son wasn't alone.

Gladio was half up, hand twitching as though to summon a weapon to him, with his body firmly between Regis and Noct. The king felt a wave of confused gratitude towards the young Amicitia, seeing how willing he was to protect Noctis.

Ignis was also awake, his body tense at the sudden wake up, half hunched over the youngest of the two men sharing the somewhat too small bed. Prompto was only just starting to wake up, his blue eyes blinking open with a low groan before he registered Regis' presence and shot up with a yelp.

Awkward silence reigned as Regis stared at the men sharing his son's bed while at least half naked. He could make out what was most likely bite marks and love marks scattered across their chests. He was thankful that the night had been cold enough to require some decent blankets at least, he was already seeing more than he wanted to.

Ignis broke the silence, clearing his throat before asking, "Was there something you needed, Your Majesty?"

Prompto spluttered, "Iggy!" Shocked at how calm and composed his voice was. Gladio had dropped his arm back to his side, face blank and expressionless though tinted with an embarrassed blush.

Regis shook his head, the fear and worry that had propelled him to get here now gone, replaced by amusement and a little bit of regret. He would have time to consider his emotions more fully once he was on his way back to the Citadel.

"I… I had to check on Noctis personally but he appears to be fine so…" it was rare for Regis to be unsure of what to say but this was one such occasion, as learning that his son had two other boyfriends on top of Prompto (he owed Cor for winning that bet) left him with no idea on how to address the current situation. That was to say, being in his son's room in the middle of the night after some kind of nightmare.

"Regis!" Clarus' voice called out, making them all jump (except Noctis, still sleeping peacefully). Gladio paled significantly at the sound of his father's voice and Regis reacted quickly, without really considering what he was doing.

He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and replied in a softer voice, "Here Clarus." He watched as his Shield turned to corner and slumped in relief at the sight of him.

Clarus walked over and glared at the king furiously. The larger man looked over his shoulder at the closed door and the light shining under it before asking, "Everything alright?"

Regis nodded, walking past Clarus and clasping his shoulder, "I think I've caused enough of a commotion for tonight. Let us return to the Citadel."

Clarus scowled but he nodded none the less and followed Regis out of the apartment without a word. At least until they were both safely in the elevator, "Was I dreaming or were those Gladio's and Ignis' shoes by the door?"

Regis looked fondly at the other man, "I think we need to have a talk with the four of them tomorrow." The look Clarus sent him was confused but resigned as his Shield ushered him out of the empty mall and into the awaiting car.

His Regalia was already gone, making him pout; but he slid into Clarus' car peacefully. Regis could feel the exhaustion that had been pushed aside in his frantic panic earlier come back stronger than before and he hurried to send an official request that Noct and his retinue show up the next day for a very important meeting.

Regis drummed his fingers against his desk as he waited impatiently for his son and probable boyfriends to arrive. He glanced over at Clarus and Cor; both insisted on being present once Regis had been awake enough to explain what had happened during the night, starting with what now seemed to be an Omen and ending with the accidental discovery that his son was in a polyamorous relationship with his retinue. Ventus wanted to be here as well but he had been called away to deal with a supposed urgent problem.

As the old grandfather clock chimed the change in hours, a knock was heard from the door and Regis straightened in his chair, barely suppressing the gleeful grin he wanted to wear to put on a somber and regal looking expression instead. "Enter."

Ignis opened the door, hesitating for a brief moment before leading the way into the King's office followed closely by a nervous Prompto, a worried Noctis and the blank faced Gladio. The adviser to his son came to stand right in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back and distinctly not looking at Regis.

Gladio's blank mask almost broke when he saw his dad there, but he valiantly struggled and succeeded in keeping it intact while walking stiffly over to stand slightly behind Noctis. Conversely, Cor's presence seemed to cause Prompto to relax as the blond shot his uncle a grin before focusing on Regis' stern appearance.

Regis waited silently, eyes moving from one boy to the other until Noct got impatient and asked, "So why did you want to see us?"

Regis leaned his chin on crossed fingers as he replied, "I believe you already know why Noctis." He paused as he considered how much Noctis' eyes looked like Aulea's when he was uncertain about something. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Noctis shifted uneasily, eyes darting to Ignis. He opened his mouth as though to speak before closing it, repeating this several times as the silence continued.

In the end, Prompto sighed, turned to Gladio and pulled him into a kiss right there and then. The blond pulled away from the shocked Shield with a lick of his lips before turning to plant a kiss on Ignis' and Noctis' cheeks as he wrapped his arms around them and declared, "I love Iggy, Noct and Gladio. I wasn't expecting the thing I had with Noct to turn out like this but hey," Prompto shrugged, "I love them. They love me and each other, so it works. WE make it work."

Ignis spluttered at the sudden love declaration, his eyes darting from where he had been staring in shock at his lover to where the king sat down…. Laughing?

Regis was almost doubled over his desk as he laughed, gleeful grin now visible to everyone in the room. Cor grinned as he walked over and extended an open palm towards Regis who was laughing so much he had trouble opening his wallet and taking out a few bills to slap into his Marshall's palm.

Clarus sighed from behind the four boys, "Those two had a bet going about whether or not any of you would have the balls to date Prompto before high school was over." He explained calmly. He shook his head and added, "I'm just glad you've been discreet about it. The Council and the press will have a field day when they learn of this."

Regis finally managed to get his laughter under control as he smiled widely towards the four young boys standing in front of him. He got up and walked over to face his son, a fond and soft smile gracing his figure, "I am happy that you have found such wonderful partners, Noctis; though I must admit being sad that you didn't feel like you could tell me of this beforehand."

Noct shook his head emphatically, "It wasn't that Dad! Really!" The prince paused and sighed before he continued, "I just…. I know that as a prince I am expected to continue the line so I… I didn't want to make things hard for you if the subject ever came up." Ignis and Gladio both reached out to hold Noctis' hands as Prompto shifted to hug his boyfriend tightly.

Regis looked away, giving his son the time to compose himself while checking on Cor and Clarus' reaction. Cor looked at his nephew with adoration in his eyes though they were tinged with sadness at Noctis' words. Clarus was stiff in his chair, meeting Regis' gaze and giving the barest of nods.

Regis nodded back and sat down on his desk, drawing an incredulous stare from Ignis at the breach of decorum. He reached out and gently lifted his son's face so they could see eye to eye. "Such a thing has never stopped me or any of our ancestors before."

The declaration was met with stunned silence. Noctis stared, wide eyed and shocked, at his dad at the admission. It took a few seconds before Noctis managed to croak out, "Wh… you..Dad?"

Regis smiled, and without looking away from his son, motioned with his free hand for Clarus to approach. He waited until his Shield was beside him before speaking again, addressing Prompto for a moment, "I believe I shall borrow your method of explanation in this case, young Prompto."

Regis let go of Noctis, turned to Clarus and kissed the man passionately. The squawks of shock that erupted from their audience had Regis chuckling against Clarus mouth.

Cor sighed and gave a half glare at the supposed adults before declaring, "Okay that's enough playing around." He tilted his head towards Noct and his retinue, "There is no problem for you to be happy in anyway that works for you, all of you. Your father has had his share of amorous relationships since he was your age. As long as it's kept discreet in public and you understand that you are still expected to have at least one heir eventually, then there is no problem."

Regis turned back to the group and nodded, "Cor is correct." He moved slowly as he opened his arms, Noct hesitating only for a moment before untangling himself from his boyfriends to hug his dad. Regis pressed a kiss on his head then added with a slightly amused voice, "Of course, if any of you hurt my son…"

The groans that filled the room were both expected and exasperated in nature. Regis couldn't help himself as his laughter rang out over the groans, teasing his son's boyfriends was fast becoming a guilty pleasure.


	39. How to court an adviser

A/N: Prompt by my lovely beta BarefootBassist: How did Gladio start reading romance novels?

Gladio is about 15. (Guys I'm running out of suggesttions! Please give me some!)

Gladio stomped down to the library, muttering under his breath. His dad had spent the last day sending Crownsguard trainees to attack him at random intervals with different weapons. Gladio knew that it was a good training exercise but… Could he not go to the washroom in peace? Or spend some time with Ignis without having to be tense and constantly looking over his shoulder?

Gladio stopped in front of the door, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to take a few deep breaths and calm down a bit. At least he didn't have to worry about anyone going after him while he was outside of the Citadel but his body was still tense and his senses were on edge.

Finally he managed to calm down enough not to jump at every movement, and he slowly opened the door to step into one of the few sanctuaries he had where he knew he wouldn't be bothered. Gladio smiled and greeted the librarian working at the desk before slowly walking through the shelves of books.

Gladio waved at the various regulars that he often saw here, his feet taking him through most of the first floor as he searched for the book Ignis had recommended for him. Auto-biographies, historical texts, religion, historical fiction; Gladio passed by them all swiftly.

"So what did you think of the Shield?" the snatch of conversation caught his attention as he moved between shelves and Gladio paused to listen in. The voice was high pitched and unfamiliar, but it might have been someone who worked at the Citadel or just a petitioner for the King.

Another voice chimed in with a giggle, "Don't you think he's dreamy? I can't believe she would prefer the Glaive to him!" Gladio frowned, feeling a bit weirded out by the conversation, one that apparently involved his father and a glaive as well as some woman?

A third voice added, "I can see the appeal of the wild and rebellious Glaive over a stuffy and uptight man like the Shield. Even if marrying him would have made her set for life."

The first voice spoke again, "Well, the ending was kinda predictable but I just love this author's work! I wish my boyfriend would read it; he might actually learn something." There was a chorus of giggles and Gladio saw three young woman pass him by, each holding onto what appeared to be three copies of the same book.

Gladio sighed as he realized that they had been talking about some romance books rather than his own dad. He felt his lips twitch in amusement at the thought of his dad being in a relationship or even courting someone seriously. When would he find the time?

The thought sobered him up as it reminded Gladio of how little time he had been able to spend with Ignis these days. Ignis had taken on even more classes in order to finish high school earlier; and with the increase in his own training, Gladio had not been able to actually spend time alone and undisturbed with Ignis in close to a month.

He wandered around in the library, lost in thought as he considered ways to spend time with his boyfriend - or at very least, find some way to tell him Gladio still loved him without it being too obvious. He stopped after a while, grumbling under his breath in annoyance, and looked around him in surprise. Gladio was in the romance section of the library, shelves of books with strange and outlandish titles stared back at him.

Titles such as "Ever by your Side", "For Love of Honor", "Blown by the Wind" stood beside ones such as "The Oracle's Stallion", "I Fell in Love with Titan" or even "The Glaive, the Shield, and the Oracle". The last one looked strangely familiar, and Gladio slowly took it off the shelf to get a closer look.

It was the same book the three women had carried out earlier. Gladio turned it over and read the back curiously: The country of Syllea has always been home to the Oracles of the gods and neutral in all conflict; but when a power-hungry emperor decides the gods must bow even to him, the Oracle must flee her home accompanied only by a wild rogue of a Glaive and her betrothed, the Shield of the King of Leggero.

It...actually sounded interesting, Gladio thought as he turned back to look at the cover, an image of a white robed woman with two men behind her, facing away from each other. He blinked and frowned as he brought the cover closer to his eyes. Was that? Gladio barely resisted facepalming as he took the badly photoshopped image of Cor face on the body of the supposed Glaive while the other man looked eerily similar to a much younger version of his dad.

He was torn on what to do with this book. Gladio was interested in reading it, if only to laugh at how badly written it most likely was; but on the other hand, the author had used his dad and his uncle as the love interest for the novel and that might make things weird. In the end, Gladio borrowed it along with the book Ignis had recommended to him. If he didn't like it then he could just laugh about it with his friends and forget it ever existed.

Gladio forgot all about the romance novel once he got back home, as Iris decided she wanted to play with him and begged her big brother to let her dress him up for a tea party. Gladio smiled indulgently and let her do what she wanted, putting on the clothes she dug up from his wardrobe and changing when she decided she didn't like it after all.

It was only later on that night, after Iris had gone to bed that Gladio emptied his bag and remembered about it when it fell on his bed. He picked it up slowly, biting his lower lip as he contemplated whether or not he should read it. With a sigh, he locked his bedroom door before getting comfortable in bed and cracking open The Glaive, the Shield and the Oracle, and reads the first sentence: _The dawn light fell in golden waves…_

Gladio loses himself in the poetry of the written word, in the description of the unique and yet familiar world and emotions the heroine explores with a mixture of delight and curiosity. The prose draws him in, and the love triangle between the three main characters is so well written that it doesn't feel forced or unusual; if anything it feels completely natural for the lovely Oracle to develop feelings for both her betrothed and the roguish but honorable Glaive.

Gladio paused a few time to take notes of the gifts the two men bring her and the adventures they take her on, thinking that he could use some of those to impress Ignis while keeping their relationship concealed from prying eyes. Some parts of the novels has Gladio red-faced and trying to deal with a rather awkward boner as the author describes in delectable details acts that Gladio promises to try with Ignis the next time they are alone.

His dreams, once he finally manages to sneak into the bathroom for a long cold shower, leaves him sweating and trembling when he opens his eyes; his body raging hot with desire from a half remembered dream. Gladio groans as he twists to turn off his alarm, the half finished book teasing him from its place on his bedside table. Part of him wants to return the book right away but he doesn't; his curiosity and youthful hormones getting the better of him.

He grabs another shower, this one pleasantly warm and thinks of Ignis as he jerks off under the falling water; thinks of all the things he is going to do to Ignis as soon as he can manage to get him alone. His orgasm seems ten times better, and he has to lock his knees to not to fall down from the explosion of endorphins that follows his release.

He has to convince himself to leave the novel at home, because being seen with such a book was out of the question as it would be embarrassing and harmful to the crown's image. He stops by a florist shop and orders three bouquets: yellow acacias, blue violets, and white jasmines. He asked for each to be delivered at a specific time to Ignis' office, with a simple note from Gladio attached to each one.

His day at school went by in a haze as he found himself daydreaming a lot more than usual, both about what he had read and the expressions his beautiful Ignis might make at discovering his gifts. The moment the last bell rang, Gladio hurried over to the Citadel, wanting to be there when the last of the bouquets made their way to his beloved.

He crept through the halls leading to Ignis' office, waving at the staff he saw and shushing those who tried to greet him loudly. The staff were amused to see Gladio being so quiet, but they were aware of his training and left him alone with amused smiles. Gladio carefully pushed the heavy door open an inch and peeked through the wedge carefully.

Ignis stood in front of his desk, his back turned to the door. In front of him were three gorgeous bouquets of yellow, white and blue on a background of green and red. Gladio grinned as he pushed the door opened a bit more and slipped carefully into the room, carefully closing the door without a sound and locking it for good measure.

Gladio leaned on the door, openly admiring the lithe form that was his boyfriend. Even from behind, Ignis looked wonderful and graceful, long legs leading to a shapely waist that attached to a strong and graceful back, topped by dirty blond hair. Gladio couldn't believe how lucky he was to have been able to grow up beside such a gorgeous and intelligent man, a true friend and even better companion.

Ignis sighed and glanced over his shoulders, "I can hear you sighing you silly behemoth." He turned around with a smile and gestured at the flowers, "What brought this on?"

Gladio smirked and walked over with a confident sway of his hips, Ignis' eyes flicking to follow the side to side movement. "Can't I give my boyfriend some flowers without needing a reason?" Gladio watched as a blush crept up Ignis' neck and cheek, telling him just how flustered he was by his gifts, and Gladio leaned in to kiss him slowly and deeply.

Ignis opened his lips and pressed back with equal intensity, gloved hands coming to wrap themselves in Gladio's hair. Gladio grinned and slid one of his legs between Ignis', pressing up just enough to feel Ignis' reaction. "If this is how you react to some flowers, I wonder how badly you'll be begging for me by our date on Saturday?" Ignis shivered under Gladio.

A knock on the door forced them to separate, Ignis desperately trying to get his heavy breathing under control as Gladio stepped away and ran his fingers through his hair. Gladio waited until Ignis was calmer before going to unlock the door and letting their untimely visitor in.

Gladio smiled at Ignis before slipping out of his office. A quick look at his watch told him he had time to get another idea ready for Ignis' return to his uncle's apartment.

Gladio headed over to the apartment and slipped in with the spare key Ignis had given him. He grinned at the pristine interior of the apartment and went over to Iggy's room. It was just as clean and organized as the rest of the apartment.

Gladio grinned as he dragged out the novel and flipped to the page he remembered to double check the details for the next thing. It took him longer than expected to set it up and he ended up late for his training with his dad. The extra 20 laps was more than worth it when Ignis showed up at Gladio's front door and dragged him out of sight close to midnight.

Gladio grinned as Ignis dragged him into a possessive and bruising kiss. Those ladies had been right after all; romance novels were a great source of information on how to properly court someone.

A/N:

I will be trying out Nanowrite this year. I hope it wont affect the updates but sorry if it does! I will try my best XD

The meaning of flowers:

Yellow Acacias = true friendship and secret love

Blue Violets= faith, affection and love

White Jasmine= nobility, elegance and grace


	40. Dating three at the same time

Prompt by Websky: First dates for the chocobros at a haunted house/carnival

Age 17 Prompto and Noctis,

Gladio and Ignis are 20

Prompto snuck into Ignis' office silently, eyes gleaming in the darkened room. The only light was the one on the desk; it was illuminating the advisor as he was hunched over, working furiously on some papers.

The blond smiled at the sight. "Iggy?" The man didn't even twitch at the words and kept muttering to himself, reaching over to grab another paper and slamming over the ones currently there.

Prompto frowned and moved closer, trying again. "Iggy?" Again he was ignored. Prompto felt his eyebrow twitch and decided that a more aggressive approach was needed to pull his overworked and stressed boyfriend away from his work.

There only a few guaranteed way that would be get Ignis' attention 100% of the time. Prompto smiled as he picked his favorite method, leaning across the desk to gently catch Ignis in a gentle kiss.

Ignis opened his mouth in surprise at Prompto's kiss before he leaned back with an exhausted but pleased smile. "That's quite a greeting Prompto. What brings you here at…" He checked the time and went silent as he stared at the numbers staring back at him.

Prompto smiled at Ignis, "At midnight? I was worried about you and wanted to talk to you." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk as he waited for Ignis to react.

The adviser groaned, passing a hand over his face in marked exhaustion. He looked at Prompto with an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry, love. I guess I lost track of time," He motioned to the pile of paperwork on his desk, "The last report from Ravus and his men from the frontlines."

Prompto smiled, tilting his head slightly as he listened to Ignis speak. He hummed thoughtfully as he dragged the report closer to himself. A quick glance told the gunner that Ravus was fine, if angry and exhausted by Niflheim's continued persistence in their attacks. They had managed to hold the lines along Talparts Creag but it was becoming harder to do with every new attack.

Ignis sighed, "I apologize darling. Here I am talking about work when you wished to talk to me." He slowly got up and moved to grab his coat, "How can I help you?" He looked over his shoulder at Prompto as he quickly dressed to leave.

Prompto shook his head, "I don't mind Iggy! I want to be there if you need help or someone to talk to." He looked down, a soft blush appearing on his cheeks before he finally told Ignis why he was here. "Well… There this carnival coming this weekend and… Well... "

Ignis turned to give Prompto a concerned look as his boyfriend stammered and mumbled towards the floor. Prompto hadn't been this shy for years thanks to the help and support from everyone around him so to see the young man suddenly return to such a shy state was a cause of concern.

Ignis walked over to Prompto, stopping right in front of him and asked softly, "Prompto? Is everything alright?"

Prompto blushed even more, nodding frantically as he blurted out in a thin anxious voice, "Canwegotothecarnivalalltogether?" Prompto brought his hands up to his face, feeling the burning redness of his embarrassment against the pal of his hands.

Ignis stilled, mind trying to untangle the rush of words that Prompto had blurted out before trying to hide himself. It took a few moments before Ignis frowned and pleaded, "I'm sorry love but could you repeat that? A bit slower perhaps? I'm afraid I didn't quite catch what you said."

Prompto groaned, utterly embarrassed with his reactions. He wasn't 14, trying to ask his first crush out. He was almost an adult and this was Ignis! He wouldn't laugh or do say anything mean if it turned out to be a bad, stupid and idiotic idea.

Prompto forced himself to take a deep breath, forced himself to meet Ignis' worried gaze and repeated his question slower, "There's a carnival this weekend and I wanted to know if we could go all together to see it."

Ignis mouth opened in surprise before turning into a smile, "Oh Prompto." He smiled and slowly leaned forward to kiss him softly. "I'll have to check Noct's schedule but I don't think it should be a problem for us to go enjoy the carnival for a bit."

Prompto frowned at Ignis' reply, it sounded like Ignis hadn't really understood what he was saying. Prompto sighed and clarified, "Iggy, I'm talking about going on a date all four of us." The look of surprise in Ignis' eyes told Prompto he had been right. "I mean… We've been kinda dating each other for a while now. I've been on dates with everyone at least three times but… We've never gone on a date all together and… I really want to?"

The look in Ignis' eyes went from surprise to fondness quickly as the advisor tug the slightly awkward blond into a hug, pressing a kiss into his sunkissed hair. "I see. My apologies for not having understood your meaning the first time around." He took a small step back and smiled at Prompto before nodding firmly, "I'll rearrange anything that needs to be done so we have a full day to go on our date. We can speak to Gladio and Noctis about it in the morning."

Prompto grinned and tackled Ignis into a hug, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He looked up and kissed Ignis before saying, "Thank you so much Ignis! This is going to be so much fun!"

Ignis chuckled as he allowed Prompto to herd him out of his office and back home. The news was well received the next morning, the mention of their first foursome date waking Noct up like a bucket of cold water. He and Prompto spent most of their time sending suggestions of what they were going to do at the carnival to the other three.

Ignis managed to rearrange the meeting he had with the Eastern Insomnia school board to another day, with some discreet help from his uncle and the King. Gladio roped Cor into taking over the training session planned for that morning, bribing his pseudo uncle with the promise of Ignis' cooking.

Saturday morning came quickly, the temperature promising to be nice and sunny with a few clouds to the four men's delight. Ignis made a wonderful breakfast of omelettes, bacon and hash brown, allowing the smell to wake his boyfriends up.

Gladio and Prompto headed out off a smaller than usual jog while Ignis and Noct cleaned up ( at their return, they found to two making out heavily against the kitchen counter.) By the time the carnival was opening its doors at 10, the four were getting off at the closest metro station and following the stream of carnival goers towards the now-open gates.

Prompto and Noctis were practically buzzing with energy, both were wearing custom matching outfits for the day. Noct had a shirt saying 'I'm with the ball of sunshine' while Prompto's had 'I'm with the human cat'. Ignis had sighed when Noct and Prompto had returned from the mall one day with those shirts and had refused all attempts to have one made for himself.

Gladio wrapped his arms around the youngest two of his lovers, growling playfully, "Slow down you two. We've got all day to have fun, understood?" He glanced around to make sure no one was looking at them before kissing both of their cheeks quickly.

Prompto smiled up to Gladio, nodding and blushing slightly at the kiss before turning to tug Ignis closer to his side. "Got it Gladio! We'll stay beside you and Iggy. Promise!" Ignis chuckled as he listened to Prompto.

Noctis simply nodded, a small smile plastered to his face as they approached the entrance for the carnival. They could see the ferris wheel turning slowly high above the tents and other attractions spread across the wide plaza. Prompto couldn't resist grabbing a few pictures of the carnival entrance, the glittering red, gold and silver banner welcoming them into it making a great background to the crowd.

The entrance fee was surprisingly cheap but they soon forgot about it as they passed through the gates and into the grounds itself. Prompto twisted and turned, looking around the area and trying to decided what to do first. There were shooting games, ball tossing games, dunk-the-clown game, small roller coasters and so much more!

Ignis, Gladio and Noctis shared a fond glance as they watched Prompto looking around with the look of wonder in his eyes. It lasted until the young blond came to a stop in front of them, looking at them with pleading eyes and pointed at a stand with prizes hanging from its poles. It was a strength test games.

"Gladio? Please?" Prompto pleaded, turning his baby blue eyes on the Shield and begging wordlessly as he pointed at the big, almost life size, chocobo plushie that was announced as first prize.

Gladio followed the pointed finger and grinned when he saw what had grabbed Prompto's attention. He turned back to his boyfriend and nodded, "Sure thing Prom. Let's get you a feathery friend." Prompto jumped, whooping in joy and fist pumped before he hurried over to the stand, one hand firmly in Gladio's.

Ignis and Noctis followed at a more sedated pace, enjoying the sight of Prompto jumping around as Gladio paid for the game. They arrived just as Gladio grabbed the hammer set aside for the game and lifted it one-handed over his shoulder. He reached out to ruffle Prompto's hair, ignoring his squawk of outrage as he turned and took a hold of the hammer.

Gladio brought it down with all his strength unto the red marker. The strength indicator flew up like a bullet, hitting the bell at the top with an ear piercing ring that announced Gladio's win. Prompto tackled him into a hug quickly before turning and grabbing the chocobo from the hands of the stand worker.

Noctis bursted out laughing at Prompto's antics, stopping when the blond reached out and pulled him against the plushie with a huffed, "It's so soft Noct!"

Ignis walked over to Gladio, smiling as he indicated Prompto's joyful celebration, "I supposed we will have to rent a locker for the day."

Gladio shrugged, "Like that would be a problem." His expression relaxed into a lovestruck smile for a moment before Ignis jabbed his elbow in Gladio's ribs with a glare. Gladio winced, rubbing the sore spot and gave the adviser an apologetic look before turning to watch Noct drag Prompto towards a fishing game.

By the time Ignis managed to locate and rent a locker for the four of them, they had all won something for each other at different stands. Dropping their winnings off only seemed to give the younger two a new excuse to go back and play even more games, both of them dragging Gladio and Ignis into a whirlwind of fun, laughter and stolen touches among the growing crowd.

They ate hot dogs for lunch, Ignis biting off his muttered concerns about the food quality and healthiness in favor of watching Gladio and Noctis paint each other's faces with condiments. Prompto leaned over his camera, sorting through the many pictures he had already taken in order to delete the ones that were not to his standards. Ignis shifted slightly, his arm brushing against Prompto's, to look over his boyfriend's shoulder while he worked silently.

The afternoon was mostly spent going on the roller coasters, Ignis finding the thrill of the rides invigorating and dragging the other three through all of the more exciting ones several times. When Gladio stumbled out of his car to retched miserably into a trash can, Ignis realized he might have been a touch too enthusiastic.

Ignis rubbed circles on Gladio's back, having sent Noctis and Prompto to get some water bottles, and whispered his apologies to the man. "I'm so sorry love. Prompto and Noctis should be back with some water soon."

Gladio shook his head slowly, Ignis supporting him as he straightened up and stumbled to a nearby bench. "Not your fault Iggy." He leaned forward with a groan, wiping his mouth on his arm quickly.

Noct and Prompto got back with some water bottle and cotton candy, the food making Ignis look at both teenagers in exasperations while Prompto gave Gladio one of the bottles. "Here ya go big guy! You feeling better?"

Gladio washed his mouth with the water first before he actually drank. He sighed in relief and answered, "Ya, I'm good though I'd appreciate a bit more time to relax before being dragged anywhere."

Noct grinned as he ate some of his candy, "Why don't we go to the haunted house then?" He pointed to a grey toned roof peaking above the colorful game tents.

Gladio looked up, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Seriously Noct? A haunted house?" Noct just nodded again. Gladio at Ignis and Prompto then shrugged, "Fine but I'm not waking up in the middle of the night because you're too scared to go to the washroom alone."

Noct blushed red, exclaiming, "I was young!"

Ignis muttered, "It was 2 month ago." The adviser ignored Noct outrage as he started walking towards the house with Prompto beside him.

The haunted house was one of the biggest attraction set up at the carnival barring the roller coasters and the ferris wheel. The entrance had a big sign beside it with a warning about entering at your own risk with fake bloody handprints all over it.

"So… Do we all go at once or one at the time?" Asked Prompto somewhat nervously.

Noctis grinned, "We go together Prom. I want to see Ignis' and Gladio's scared face." He shot the two oldest of his lovers a grin.

Gladio growled, grabbing Noctis' head in his elbow and messing his hair up, "Scared? Me? Ha! You're the one who's going to be scared!"

Ignis cleared his throat, looking at the two of them with a pointed gaze. Gladio looked apologetic and let Noct go.

The four entered slowly, Prompto siding up to Ignis until their shoulders brushed at every step. Ignis smiled, quickly checking around them before gently taking his hand.

Prompto blushed, giving Ignis a smile before turning back to look at their surroundings. They had only been walking up the stairs for a few minutes but it felt longer somehow.

Prompto shivered as he paid more attention to the soft, almost below the hearing range, ambiance music that came from the speaker's surroundings them. There wasn't a sound per say, more like a constant whining of some kind. It was high pitched and occasionally Prompto would feel like it had changed but he couldn't figure out what exactly had.

They finally arrived at the end of the stairs, a thick black felt fabric separating them from the other side. Gladio stopped right before it, glancing back to see how his three beloved where doing and smiling as he saw Prompto flanked by Ignis and Noctis.

"You good Prompto?" He asked softly. Prompto bit his bottom lip but nodded firmly. Gladio smiled, reaching over to cup his youngest lover's cheek tenderly. "Okay but if you want to get out of here, you just have to say the word and we're gone."

Prompto looked surprised for a moment by Gladio's declaration before he relaxed and smiled brightly. "Okay Gladio. Thanks."

Gladio returned the smile with his own, giving a quick nod to both Ignis and Noct before brushing the fabric aside and stepping through. He stopped and blinked in surprise,

The hall that stretched in front of him was brightly lit. There were oddly happy statues bordering the hall, each looking slightly worn down with rust spots and peeling paint.

Gladio looked around for a moment more before he stepped aside to let the other three come in. He dropped the fabric back down behind them before turning to face the hall with his friends.

"This certainly was not what I was expecting." Whispered Ignis as he looked around with curiosity. Prompto was doing the same without moving from Ignis' side while Noctis had headed straight for a statue and was inspecting it from all sides.

Gladio opened his mouth to tell Noct to be careful when the prince reached out and pushed a button that stood out under a name plate. With a grinding noise, the lights flickered a few times before the statues started moving on their pedestal.

A happy tune started up, the speed and tone of the voices that rose from the statues just off enough to make it creepy and off-putting.

 **Welcome welcome**

 **dear friends**

 **Listen to our story**

 **Are you ready?**

 **Don't be scared**

 **We are friendly**

 **Join us in our dance**

 **Join us for eternity**

 **Welcome welcome**

 **Cherished guests**

 **Do you see us?**

 **Do you hear us?**

 **There is nothing to fear**

 **We are nothing**

 **but memories**

 **Never forgotten**

 **Welcome welcome**

 **Friendly ones**

 **Will you help us?**

 **Will you free us?**

The song ended abruptly as the lights flickered again. Prompto screamed and clung to Ignis' arm, hiding his face against the adviser's chest.

Ignis wrapped his free arm around Prompto, feeling on edge by the song and its abrupt ending. Noctis had backed away from the statues until Gladio had grabbed his shoulder to bring him slightly behind him.

The silence that followed the abrupt end was filled with tension until Ignis sighed and asked, "Well they certainly know what they're doing. Shall we press on? Or should we turn back?"

Gladio shrugged and turned to see what Prompto and Noctis wanted to do. Noct looked a bit pale but had a determined expression. Prompto on the other hand was still plastered against Ignis, trembling slightly as Ignis rubbed his back slowly.

It took a few moments for Prompto to calm down. When he did, Prompto shook his head, "We have to keep going." His red rimmed eyes were filled with determination despite the fear and anxiety that ran through his mind.

Gladio grinned, reaching out to ruffle his hair, "That's the spirit Prom! Let's keep going and see what else they have set up." He turned towards the end of the hall at a slow pace.

Prompto returned the smile, taking a small step away from Ignis without letting go of his hand. The four slowly walked through the hall, Gladio and Ignis keeping an eye on Prompto and the statues while Noct did his best to distract Prompto with talk of what game they would play once they were out.

The rest of that floor was quiet and still other than an occasional groan from a statue. They found another thick fabric dividing them from the stairs going downward, Gladio once more stepping through first before allowing the other three men through.

The second floor was filled with broken machines, ripped apart stuffed animals and bits of junk lying around; forming piles that almost reached the ceiling. The objects scattered around made a strange path, it would force the men to wander a specific path through the piles to reach the next door.

Once more Gladio went in first, Noctis then Prompto with Ignis following after the Shield steadily. They reached the first pile when the lights flickered again, this time staying off for several seconds before turning back on slowly. The silence that filled the floor was eari and seemed to make their breathing sound much louder in their eyes.

Noctis slowed a bit, reaching out to grab Prompto's free hand and squeezing it hard. The strange atmosphere was starting to get to him too. They were just out of sight of the entrance of the floor when the voices started.

Slow whispered of meaningless words but somehow it felt like they should be understanding them. Small shifts in the piles on either side of them. Noct and Prompto shared a worried glance when they heard something metallic klang against the floor somewhere out of sight. They both moved just a touch closer to Ignis.

Gladio and Ignis shared their own look, despite knowing this was just an attraction, and thus not real, it was unnerving to be here, expecting something to happen at any moment and having nothing happen instead. Gladio slowed down, coming to stop beside Noctis and allowing his shoulder to brush against the prince's occasionally.

When they were able to see the exit, the four of them released sighs of relief, Prompto actually slumping against Ignis for a few moments. Ignis simply smiled in return before following Gladio towards the doorway.

As Gladio reached out to push the fabric aside a fourth time, he felt that something was different about it this time. He was completely unprepared when the floor under his feet tilted suddenly, sending him sliding down a dark, lightless tunnel as discombobulated voices screamed and shouts from all directions.

"Gladio!" Prompto and Noct shouted together, letting go of Ignis to try and reach their boyfriend just as he disappeared through the floor. Ignis quickly reacted, pulling them back as the floor rose back up and a firm click was heard.

"Noctis, please stay behind me with Prompto." Ignis ordered quickly as he pushed them together before stepping carefully to the edge of the trap floor and kneeling to inspect it. There was a slight line that ran the edge of the opening. Ignis carefully placed his hands on that section of the floor and pushed. Nothing.

A stuttering voice suddenly filled the area, "Pl...Please… Mo...Move for...Forward." there was an ear splitting screech that finished the request before the fabric hung across the exit simply moved aside by itself.

The three remaining lovers looked at each other with worry and trepidation before they slowly moved through the opening, Ignis in the lead and with the other two clutching at his shirt, pressing in close to his back. The stairs went down more than a single floor without an exit, Ignis carefully watching their surroundings.

The speakers feed in more voices and laughter but now there were screams and begging mixed into it, barely within their hearing range. Prompto's eyes were whipping from one side to the other, searching for any signs of what might happen next.

As they neared the end of the staircase, Prompto whispered, "Do you think Gladio is okay?"

Ignis stopped at the last step, glancing over his shoulder and giving the pale blond a comforting smile. "Of course he is. This is simply a extremely well made carnival attraction after all. I'm sure we'll soon be out and meet up with him."

Prompto nodded, not completely convinced but trying not to let his anxiety take over. He felt Noctis shift closer to him and put on a shaky smile. He took a few deep breathes before whispering, "Okay, let go join up with Gladio before he gets lonely."

Ignis chuckled, "Indeed, let us go." He crossed the small landing and lifted the fabric swiftly to peer inside. The area beyond the curtain was dimly lit, the dull light bulbs doing little to illuminate the area except for the vague shapes of tables with some kind of equipment on them.

Ignis motioned for Noctis and Prompto to let go of him for a moment. As soon as they had repositioned their grip from his shirt to each other, Ignis gave them a confident smile and stepped through the doorway. The next thing he knew, a loud slam echoed from behind him and he twirled around to find the entrance had closed completely separating him from his companions.

Noctis and Prompto were staring in horror as the wall suddenly moved, cutting Ignis off from them. They barely had time to react before the staircase was plunged into complete darkness, sending both boys into a panic. Laughter sounded from above them followed closely by heavy footsteps that seemed to get closer and closer to them.

Prompto was breathing quickly, his head turning around as he tried to find a way out. He spotted a glimmer of light and headed straight for it, dragging Noctis behind him. Prompto pushed against the wall, stumbling as it opened easily into a brightly lit tunnel. He pulled Noctis into it before hurrying to close it behind them in a panic.

Noct seemed just as panicked as Prompto was, his eyes mirroring the panic in Prompto's. Prompto knew he had to get out of here and make sure Noctis got out safely too. He grabbed the prince by the hand and started hurrying down the tunnel, shooting frequent glances over his shoulder as they moved farther away from whatever thing inhabited this crazy haunted place.

Noctis followed behind Prompto, the feeling of dread and panic growing stronger the longer they were separated from their boyfriends. It was all his fault! He had wanted to go into the haunted house. It was his actions on the top floor that had started this whole mess.

The minute he was out of this astral-forsaken place, Noctis was going to destroy it and have everyone responsible for this horrible thing arrested and tried for harming two of the people he loved so dearly. The prince was so deep in thought he didn't noticed as Prompto came to a stop suddenly, bumping into him.

"Prompto?" Noct asked when the teen didn't say anything. He glanced beyond Prompto's shoulder to see what was going on and found his eyes unable to look away from the life-sized Kenny the Crow pinned to the wall by jagged pieces of metal.

Right past the immobile thing was a door clearly bearing the word 'EXIT' painted in bright red. Prompto looked from the door to the Kenny, swallowing heavily as he whispered, "We need to get past it." He saw Noctis shake his head as the prince took a step back, away from the nightmarish creature but also away from the door.

Prompto tugged him back closer, pointing at the door, "Noct, we don't have a choice. The exit is right there." He looked at the spaces around the Kenny and suppressed a shiver, "You don't have to look at it. Just close your eyes and trust me."

Noctis looked from Prompto to Kenny and back before slowly nodding, his mouth feeling dry with nervousness. "Okay. I trust you." He grabbed Prompto's arm tightly and closed his eyes even tighter.

Prompto checked that Noctis had his eyes closed before slowly sliding towards the pinned Kenny gingerly. There was enough space between the Crow's wing, the poking bits of metal and the wall for both of them to pass through without too much effort but it was still unnerving to do so. Prompto was expecting the thing to start moving at any moment, holding his breath until he and Noct were safely on the other side.

"Okay, we made it! Come on Noct!" Prompto exclaimed as he pulled his boyfriend towards the door. The sunlight almost blinded them as they stepped out of the oppressive atmosphere of the haunted house to the fun-filled laughter of the carnival's. The two teens staggered a few steps away from the house before coming to a stop.

Prompto was close to collapsing on the ground in relief as he tilted his head back to enjoy the sunshine and warmth. He hadn't realized how cold the house had been until now. A hand grabbed his shoulder and Prompto screamed in shock, hearing Noctis do the same from beside him. He twirled around, jerking Noctis behind him only to stop and stare at Ignis and Gladio is shock.

Ignis raised both hands up slowly, saying, "It's alright Prom, Noct. It's just us."

Gladio looked stuck between wanting to laugh and looking extremely worried beside Ignis, added, "Are you two alright?"

Prompto looked over to Noctis then back at his two other boyfriends. "Never again." He declared firmly, barely restraining from stamping a foot down in irritation. "We are never going into another haunted house." Noct nodded in agreement beside him.

Ignis shared a glance with Gladio before he said, "That seems like a wise idea." He moved closer to his boyfriends slowly, not wanting to scare them again, and wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders as he proposed, "I believe we have a few more rides to try before we leave. Shall we?"

Gladio grimaced at that but seeing the fear and panic slowly disappearing from Noctis and Prompto's eyes had him stay silent and follow behind the trio as Ignis lead them slowly back towards the crowd of carnival goers. He cast a single glance back towards the haunted house and pulled out his phone.

The carnival would be here for a few more days. The haunted house seemed like a rather perfect way to see how the new recruits dealt with unexpected situations. And who knows, maybe Gladio would be able to get Ravus to cling to him at least once during the whole thing.


	41. Field Test part 1

A/N: This is ended up being the longest and hardest drabble I have written. Part 2 will be posted once its been edited but here is the first part :)

End of year 6

Ravus is about 22-23.

Regis frowned as he read the latest report from the Crownsguard's intelligence division. It was a thin report, lacking in details and more importantly, in the information he needed to make decisions. A knock on the door broke the king out of his thoughts. "Enter."

Clarus came in, took one look at Regis and grumbled as he closed the door behind him, "You're still working?" Regis nodded with a sigh. Clarus chuckled, "You'd better finish up what you need to do quickly. Sylva is expecting us soon."

Regis' eyes widened and he checked the clock before wincing. "It's that late already?" He dropped the report back down on his desk without hesitation and rose to his feet. He and Clarus left the office to get ready for the dinner with his family and friends.

"What had you so busy you didn't notice the time?" Clarus finally asked after a few minutes of walking.

Regis sighed again, "The Intel report on Niflheim's movements." Clarus glanced sharply at Regis, his eyes narrowing as he remembered how thin the folder had seemed in Regis' hands. The king nodded slowly, "It is worrying that we have so little to go on. We must find a more efficient way of gathering reliable intelligence if we are to hold our lands against Niflheim."

Their arrival at the Royal Quarters forced them to drop the subject as Iris bounced out to drag them into the festive games going on inside. Regis and Clarus were the last ones to arrive to the weekly evening off prescribed by Sylva Argentum the first month she had arrived at the Citadel.

The hour before supper was spent on a Mario Kart tournament between the different families there. Cor was dragged into team Argentum while Ravus and Luna joined with Noctis and Regis. The game helped Regis relax and forget about the burden of being king for a short while.

Of course, a reminder of the lack of information brings him back to the harsh burden placed on his shoulders. It's after supper and they're all gathered in the salon when Noctis asks about the group of Galahdians he has befriended shortly after their arrival in the Crown City.

"How's the training going? They must be done soon." Noct asked while cuddling with Prompto.

Ravus smirked, "You're right, they're almost done with their training." He shakes his head, mouth twisting into a bitter amused smile as he mutters just loud enough to be heard, "They're a menace to society."

The comment has the others smirking and chuckling at the tone the Kingsglaives' Commander takes. Ravus raises his glass of wine to his lips before adding, "I want to send them to do a field test before officially approving them as fully-fledged glaives."

Regis shoots a glance to Clarus and sees the same idea trotting behind his Shield's bright blue eyes. He turns to Ravus and proposes, "I might have something for them to do if you're looking for ideas."

Ravus looks a bit surprised by the offer but the sound of Sylva clearing her throat pointedly, and glaring at the men, makes them put aside the issue until the next morning.

Ravus arrives at the king's request at precisely 10 am, knocking on the large door and enters when asked.

Clarus and Cor are already there with Regis as he walks in and closes the door behind him. Regis stops just short of the desk and give the king a bow before straightening with a curious smirk on his face. "So what kind of field test did you have in mind for your newest glaives?"

Regis grinned and waved Ravus into a seat in front of his desk. Clarus grabs a file from it and hands it over to the young man while Regis explains, "We have a problem with the intelligence the Crownsguard have been able to gather since the attack on Galahd. Notably the lack of reliable information concerning their movements or plans."

Ravus nods his understanding as he quickly reads through the file. Cor moves to stand slightly behind him as Regis continues to speak. "As such, I would like to entrust the mission of getting in contact with some new possible informants within Niflheim's territory. Do you believe the new glaives are up to the task?"

Ravus doesn't answer right away as he finishes reading the list of names and places where meetings are to take place within the next month. He is mentally already assigning who would be best suited for each task and who of the senior glaives could use the break that something like supervising an information run would give.

"I would have to get some of our senior glaives in order to ensure it goes well but this is a perfect mission for them." Ravus finally states with a pleased grin. He grabs a pen from the desk, flips a page over and starts scribbling down the different groups that would be sent to meet with each possible informant.

Behind him, Cor tracks the list and offers, "You can borrow some of the Crownsguard if you need. They could use the exercise outside the Wall." Ravus glances over his shoulder, flashing the Marshall a smile before starting to add in the names of some guards beside each group.

Clarus and Regis watched with growing amusement as Cor and Ravus start negotiating which Crownguard to send with each group, until they finally settle on something that satisfies both of them. The list is handed over to Clarus for a final, official, approval before Regis finishes the meeting by handing Ravus the official orders for the glaives.

It took two days to organize the different groups of near-graduates with their supervising Glaives, on top of coordinating with Cor and the Crownsguard. By the Monday, Ravus just wanted to set out with his chosen group; even if that group was Nyx, Crowe, Pelna, Libertus, Luche, Tredd and Sonitus. Considering the group's dynamic, Ravus figured he was the only one who could keep an eye on them without going crazy.

Ravus grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder before giving Lunafreya a kiss on her forehead. "Take care of yourself." He whispered to her as she hugged him tightly.

"You as well Ravus." She offered back with her own kiss. "Be safe and do try to rest while you travel with Nyx and his friends. It is supposed to be simply a field test after all, and I do not wish to hear you have been injured." Luna took a step back from her brother to watch him leave their home with a smile.

Ravus arrived at the Kingsglaives' Headquarters with an hour to spare. He headed straight for his office to check on any last minute paperwork that required his attention before he left. Ravus frowned as he saw someone waiting by his door; the morning light not strong enough to let him see who it was until he was much closer.

"Lance?" Ravus exclaimed, stopping in his track as he stared at his pseudo-uncle leaning against his office door, a heavy looking bag settled on the floor by his feet. "What are you doing here?"

Lance straightened, raising a hand in greeting as Ravus marched over. He smiled, eyes glimmering with amusement as he answered quietly, "The informant you're going to meet is an old friend of mine from my days before getting married. I was hoping you wouldn't mind me going with you to chat with them?"

Ravus' shoulders slumped forward as he brought a hand up to slap over his face. He sighed heavily before asking, "Are you sure about this?" Lance smiled and nodded. Ravus sighed again and reached out past Lance to open his office door. "Very well. I just need to check on a few things and then we can go put your bags with the rest."

Lance followed him into his office, taking a seat out of the way and watching as Ravus checked his messages for anything he needed to do before leaving. There was, as expected, a few last minute things Ludic wanted him to check, but otherwise everything was prepared and ready.

While Ravus was out, Ludic would be in charge with Cor dropping in to keep an eye on things. For the moment, Niflheim was not attacking as they focused on consolidating their hold on Galahd so the glaives were on search and rescue missions rather than acting as frontline fighters for Lucis.

Of course if anything were to change, Ravus would be notified and would return as quickly as possible to Insomnia or head straight to the frontline should it be necessary. Ravus leaned back against his chair, his head tilting backwards to stare at the ceiling for a few moments. He hoped Niflheim stayed as silent as they had over the last 4 months but he doubted it would last much longer; it couldn't.

"Stop worrying, and let's get going." Lance interrupted gently from his seat. "Cor and Clarus will make sure that your glaives will be alright while we're gone." He ignored the shocked and outraged glare Ravus sent his way. Lance just smiled and waited until he was ready to leave before following after him.

Nyx and Crowe were already there when Ravus and Lance arrived, both giving Ravus a salute while glancing questionably at Lance's presence. Ravus greeted them, "Nyx. Crowe. You are both early."

Crowe shrugged as she grabbed another bag from the ground and passed it up to Nyx with ease, "Figured someone had to make sure nothing had been forgotten." Ravus raised an eyebrow and waited. Crowe smirked and added, "And they got drunk last night and are working off the hangover."

Ravus shook his head with exasperation as he handed Crowe his bag and motioned for Lance to do the same. "This is Lance Argentum. He'll be joining us for the mission but as a civilian. Tell the others about it when they arrive." Crowe and Nyx both perked up at the sound of his last name, two pairs of eyes focusing on the Minister of Immigration, and Prompto's father.

Nyx jumped off the back of the truck and sauntered over to stand in front of the older man. His gaze was judging and serious as he took in the laid back but practical appearance of Lance before slowly smirking and putting his right fist over his chest. "Sir Argentum, you raised a good kid."

Lance stared at Nyx, blinking rapidly in surprise before he snorted a laugh. "Prompto really is a good child!" He shook his head and extended his hand, "Nice to meet you Nyx. I must thank you and your friends for their help at the Market."

Nyx grinned back and shook Lance's hand, "No need to thank us Sir. It's thanks to him that we can do this without worrying about our families. He and yourself of course." Nyx shuffled a bit, dropping his gaze for a split second to stare at his feet before returning to look at Lance firmly.

Behind them, Crowe made a gagging expression as she watched Nyx develop an admiration for the Kiddo's father. She glanced over and met Ravus' startled and slightly awkwardly disgusted look as he watched Nyx act so stiffly in front of Lance. Shaking her head at the foolishness of men in general Crowe clapped her hand together loudly and announced, "Okay! Let's get Sir Argentum's and the Commander's bags settled so we can get moving once the guys arrive."

Nyx jumped a bit at her voice and dropped Lance's hand like it was burning him. He turned the motion into a sweeping one as he grabbed the bag Lance had been carrying, and with a dip of his head, hurried to put the bag in the back of the truck. He ignored the knowing look Crowe sent his way as he carefully packed the bag with the others.

Ravus groaned internally at the display and decided the best thing to do was find the rest of his team and snap at them to get their asses in gear. In the end he doesn't have to, as he hears Luche shouting from the hallway and the steady stream of Galahdian words being bandied about.

Short introductions are made as the team gets settled into the trucks and they are on their way on time. The first night out ends up with Lance convincing the glaives to stop calling him 'Sir' as he takes over cooking for the group while Ravus goes over the mission's parameters with them.

The informant they were to meet would be in Altissia on Niflheim business until the middle of next month. The glaives were to basically escort Lance and Ravus to Altissia, where they would meet the informant at Maagho's and then return back to Insomnia.

"So if you're supposed to be escorted to Altissia, then who's in charge of the mission?" asked Luche with a frown, looking between Ravus and Lance.

Ravus grinned. "That's what you need to decide tonight. I am here to observe how you deal with this mission. Unless things go absolutely wrong, I won't interfere in anything you do from tomorrow morning until our return to Insomnia." He crossed his arms and settled back on his chair to watch how they would deal with this first obstacle.

He was pleasantly surprised, but not completely shocked, when the would-be glaives simply shrugged; with Nyx turning to look at Luche and casually saying, "Looks like you're up, Leader."

Luche takes up command of the small glaive team with ease and the drive from the haven until Cape Caem's lighthouse goes relatively well. A group of spiracorns being the only trouble they encountered, one that Luche deals with in minutes by having Nyx draw them away from the road so Crowe can safely cook them. Sonitus and Tredd are sent to let the local hunters know about the fresh kills before they rejoin the group that evening.

At the lighthouse, Cid is finishing the last check-ups on the boat they would be using to reach Altissia. It's not very big but its speed and mobility made up for it. They had one calm night, Luche assigning guard shifts just in case, before they set sail with time to spare.

The sea was choppy as they left the security of the cove. The rough waves were accompanied by strong winds and dark,dangerous looking clouds that had the Galahdians worried. "There's a storm coming, a big one. Should we turn back and wait it out?" asked Pelna as he leaned over the side to get a better look at the darkened sky.

Luche cast a glance at Ravus, who simply raised an eyebrow at the gesture from his seat by Lance's side. Taking a deep breath he turned to Crowe. "Crowe?"

She nodded once, scrambling out of her dry spot by the steering wheel to join Pelna outside. She tapped him once on the shoulder, getting a nod back, before jumping onto the railing with Pelna taking a hold of her waist while she worked. The waves kept her off balance as she twisted and turned, raising a hand to gauge the wind strength and tasting the presence of lightning clouds on the air.

Pelna helped her down when she motioned for him, taking a brief moment to wipe the sea water from her eyes before hurrying back to Luche. "We can make it." She announced, hands on her hips and a pleased smirk on her face.

Luche replied with his own grin, and started bellowing orders to the rest of the glaives to tie everything that could get washed overboard down quickly. He left the helm to Libertus as the sea got rougher, and went around checking with his team for any problems.

"He's doing a good job," remarked Lance to Ravus as they watched the situation unfold.

Ravus nodded absently, one of his arms stretched across Lance's chest to prevent him from being thrown around by the rolling boat, "So far." His tone was short and on edge, his body tense and ready to react should he be required to do so as the sound of thunder roared through the cabin.

When Luche swore in rapid Galadhian followed by the shout of "Niflheim airships to the North!" Ravus hissed under his breath and strode over as best as he could with the boat dipping and rolling through the waves. He joined Luche in swearing as he saw the 5 battle ready airships emerging from the storm front.

"They were expecting us!" Nyx had to shout to be heard over the crashing waves, roaring thunder and howling winds.

Luche roared back, "We have to lose them! Head into the storm!" He glanced at Ravus once more but gave his orders nonetheless, diving to grab a rope as another wave broke over the deck.

Ravus copied Luche's movement, holding on as the cold water drenched them completely. It was the least of their worries as the airships opened fire on the ship.

Missiles and bullets rained on the small craft, churning the water when they missed and sending splinters of wood when they didn't. "Libertus! Crowe! Shield us!" ordered Luche as he tried to figure out how much longer they had before entering the storm itself. "Few more minutes…" he muttered under his breath.

A crystalline dome formed above their heads, giving them a few precious minutes of protection against the attacks. Ravus checked the helm and found Lance and Sonitus working together to keep the boat on course.

He returned to the deck to check on both of the spellcasters, finding them grimacing as they poured every scrap of magic into the shield keeping them safe. Pelna and Tredd were keeping Libertus stable while Luche had lurched to grab unto Crowe with Nyx.

Their efforts were rewarded as the ship finally dove into the storm, the waves almost doubling in size within seconds. Ravus held on to the nearest unmoving object and glanced over his shoulder towards where the Niflheim forces would undoubtedly be trying to follow them.

As expected, the airships were turning around as quickly as they could to continue their pursuit. As they re-entered the storm, Ravus watched with grim satisfaction as the storm's high winds and lightning swiftly sent two of them into the churning sea. The satisfaction is short lived as the remaining ships waste no time to catch back up to the ship and continue their onslaught. A glance at Crowe and Libertus warns Ravus that neither of them would be able to maintain the shields for much longer.

Ravus grits his teeth, turning his sight back toward the approaching airships and gauzes the distance between their position. It would require more than one warp but the airships were close enough for him to infiltrate and hopefully disable some or all of them. He turned to Luche, shouting to be heard over the din of the storm, "Luche! I'll do something about the airships! Get everyone to Altissia!"

He doesn't wait for an answer, summoning his dagger and throwing it blade over handle as far and high as he could. The warp was as jarring as always; his hand closes on the handle and Ravus finds his bearing to throw the dagger again. And again. Until he finds himself hanging from his dagger on the hull of the nearest airship.

Ravus looks around, the heavy rain and whipping winds forcing him to squint to see anything beyond the first meter until he spots the outline of a door just past a catwalk railing. He uses his free hand to summon a second dagger and throws it toward the catwalk.

A burst of wind sends his dagger to clang uselessly against the hull. Ravus resummons it to his hand and waits until there is a lull in the wind to throw it a second time. He doesn't hear it clang on the metal catwalk but he trust in his aim and warps over anyways. The catwalk is so slick with rain and the wind tunneled by the shape of the airship that Ravus can't stand up and is forced to use the railing to pull himself to the door.

It's locked; a cardkey reader that Ravus fries with a burst of lightning before practically diving into the airship. It's dry and warm in there, and Ravus take a moment to enjoy it before stalking the halls to find either a gunnery room or the main engine room. He ducks out of sight everytime a patrol comes by, refusing to acknowledge the shiver that passes through him as being anything other than cold. (He knows the faces hidden behind the masks all too well. He was taking Prompto out for a day once he gets back just to see him smile and laugh.)

He knows the clock is ticking and thanks the Six when he finally ducks into a room filled with seven soldiers and twice as many control panels with targeting viewers. Lightning is out of the question, so Ravus warps straight into the middle of the group, his dagger buried deep into the edge of the helmet and the shoulder of a clone.

He summons his rapier and thrusts it through the hinge of a knee plate. Not waiting to see the soldier drop, Ravus grabs the nearest arm and pulled. He pushed his rapier straight through the armor, sending a quick burst of fire through it and sending smoke curling outwards.

He feels something get rammed into his spine, and rolls with the force until he's back on his feet. He puts a barrier up just in time as the rattle of guns fill the room for a moment before falling silent.

Ravus drops the barrier and darts in, exchanging his rapier for daggers as he dives back into close quarters so as to create the most damage while limiting the chances of getting a bullet in his brain. It gives him enough of an advantage that he manages to kill three more before a bullet tears through his arm in a burst of white-hot pain.

The commander of the Kingsglaives grits his teeth and forces his arm to throw his dagger towards the last standing soldier. It catches the Niflheim clone in the eye, making its finger tighten on the trigger and sending a spray of hot lead shooting aimlessly through the room.

Ravus has to put up another barrier; this one bigger to encompass the machinery for the guns, as he needed them intact to destroy the other ships targeting his glaives and his uncle. Leaving the barrier up for the moment, Ravus hurried over to the nearest targeting viewer and fiddles with the control panel until it is aimed, not at the small ship being battered by the storm, but rather the farthest airship.

He repeats the same procedure on the second gun, only this one aimed at the last of the airships. Two more guns are aimed and Ravus activates them one after the other. The booming sound of the massive guns being fired is enough to break his concentration and his barrier dissipates but a quick glance at the viewers show the airships in flames as the bullets punches holes in the hull.

An alarm starts blaring out from concealed speakers, a dull red light flashing in time with it. Ravus hissed and hurried to change the guns target once more but as he tried to use the control panel he found it unresponsive under his touch.

"Damn it!" He swore, slamming his hands against the panel uselessly. If he couldn't shoot this airship down with its own gun, then he would have to find the engine room and bring it down that way.

The halls of the airship were filled with soldiers and MTs, making any progress much slower than Ravus wanted. He could only hope that his presence within the ship would prevent them from targeting his glaives and his uncle. He kept an ear out for information but the soldiers were mostly silent except for the fully human commanders that walked among them.

The roll of the airship as the storm grew around them made things harder, as Ravus had to rely on the railing and fixtures to make his way around. Maybe if he prayed to Ramuh hard enough the Storm astral would answer his prayer and strike the airship down for him.

Ravus scoffed at his own thoughts; his sister might have strong faith in the astrals but Ravus had never liked the thought of his destiny being controlled by another, especially not after Niflheim's invasion of his home. He focused his attention again as the clanging sound of machines working hard to keep the ship airborne grew to a deafening level.

Ravus grinned as he peeked around the corner and saw the huge magitek engine surrounded by clone workers and soldiers mixing with MTs as they patrolled the large room. The numbers meant he couldn't simply warp in and kill them all by himself but… His goal wasn't to kill them, it was to bring down this airship; and that could be done with a simple bolt of lightning.

He turned away from the sight and pressed his back against the metal wall with a sigh. He let his head thump against the wall as he considered how to proceed. Blowing up the engine was relatively easy now that he had found it, but he had no intention of dying anytime soon and that meant he had to find a quick way out.

There were no windows close by, only thick walls and countless catwalks crossing over and around the engine, with several passages leading in and out of the large room. His best bet was most likely destroying the engine and using the commotion to run back towards where he had entered.

Ravus took a deep breath, calling upon Regis' magic as he formed the lightning bolt between his hands. He took another glance into the room, waiting until he had a clear view of the engine before stepping into the middle of the hallway and thrusting his hands forward, unleashing the magical bolt towards his target.

His aim was perfect, the lightning bolt hitting the engine right by its pistons, causing a series of explosions to take place almost immediately. Ravus waiting a few extra seconds to confirm that he had succeeded in destroying the engine before turning around and… He barely threw himself out of the way, hissing at the thin line of pain the lance left as it nearly impaled him through his throat.

An imposing woman, with shoulder-length silver-blonde hair streaming beyond the edge of her helmet, stood before him, lance withdrawing from where it had pierced the metallic wall almost half an inch deep. "So you're the intruder." She stated with some amusement, "What are you? Reckless, courageous or just stupid?" She twirled her lance in a confident manner, eyes not straying from Ravus one bit.

Ravus got back to his feet slowly, carefully, as she talked. Silver-blonde hair with black and red armor and wielding a lance with skill and unusual strength? "None of the above, Commodore Highwind." He replied while considering his next move.

With the famed lance-wielding dragoon standing in his way, Ravus was in a worse situation than expected. The small space within the halls would give her an advantage while limiting Ravus' movement. Ravus shifted slightly and the Commodore shifted with him, blocking him with ease.

He frowned. Her first strike had been aiming to kill him and yet she had not followed through afterwards when she could have done so. Ravus shifted again and growled when she responded by mirroring his movement with a confident strutting step.

She shifted her lance to block off the rest of the hallway and offered, "Surrender to me and I'll make sure you'll be well kept." Her tone was somehow both teasing and serious. Ravus took a deep breath, relaxing his body posture as though he was giving up. The Commodore lowered her lance by a fraction.

The dagger Ravus summoned was thrown straight at her cleavage. It was deflected by the shaft of her lance before it got anywhere close to her. Ravus didn't wait for the dagger to start falling to the floor before warping to it, using the momentum to dive behind the Niflheim Dragoon and tossing his dagger further down the hall as quickly as he could.

He didn't look behind him, taking the first corner he saw to get out of the dragoon's line of sight. There was a sudden explosion that sent the airship tilting wildly to the right. Ravus slammed painfully against the wall, scrambling to get his feet back under him.

He kept running; dodging and ignoring the soldiers that stumbled into his path as he ran. Every hallway was identical except for the number of doors opening into it. Ravus ran, unable to recognize where he was now that he had turned into an unknown part of the ship but not stopping regardless.

Ravus stumbled as the ship dropped under his feet, the creak and groan of the metal filling the air. He was running out of time! Ravus pushed himself to his feet even as the ship shook heavily, making it nearly impossible to stand up straight.

Finally, he found himself entering a small hanger with few soldiers in it. "Thank the Six." He whispered as he looked for the panel that would allow him to open the exit.

"Took you long enough!" called out a voice and Ravus swore as he threw himself back, feeling the force of Commodore Highwind's attack. She had jumped from the catwalk above him, her lance destroying the floor and sending pieces of the metal flying into the air. The force of it was enough to send the shrapnel to bury themselves deeply into Ravus' protectively-crossed arms.

He ignored the blood and pain, summoning his rapier as he took a stance to face his opponent. Commodore Aranea Highwind didn't give him time to do much as she jumped towards him, her lance leading the way. Ravus brought his rapier up, bracing it against his armlet as he deflected the charge to the side.

Commodore Highwind twisted in mid-air, landing feet-first against the wall behind Ravus and charged back at his open back. Ravus saw the change in direction from the corner of his eye and tried to dodge it by warping through it the way Noctis could.

He felt the lance rip into his side for a split second before he phased through the rest of the attack. Blood poured heavily from the deep cut as Ravus slapped his free arm over it in an attempt to stem the bleeding. He was already out of breath from running around trying to find an exit and with his injuries adding up, the chances of his escape were very small.

Ravus grimaced, gritting his teeth and tightening his grip on his rapier. There was no way he was going to die here! There were too many people waiting for his return! Too many things he still had to do. He was not dying today.

Mind made up, Ravus let go of his side and raised his hand towards the ceiling with a dark grin. The Commodore fell back from her charge as the air around Ravus crackled with energy. Ravus stared back at the dragoon with an undaunted look in his eyes. "Until next time Commodore."

The lightning strike came from outside the airship. It pierced through every floor between the clouds and Ravus' outstretched hand, leaving only molten metal in its wake and destroying electrical systems throughout the airship. It filled Ravus with a painful burning energy, cauterizing the cuts he had as the lightning melted the metal shards in his arms.

Ravus wasted no time as the flash blinded Commodore Highwind, twisting to throw his rapier at the opening hangar door. He dropped off the falling airship without looking back, his rapier disappearing back into the magical armory and being replaced by a dagger that he threw towards the stormy sea.

He warped into the freezing water, the salt sending waves of pain as the cold shattered the last of his strength and Ravus found blackness creeping into his sight. He kicked his legs to keep afloat, the waves threatening to send him under with every crest while Ravus tried to find his glaives' ship. Instead his eyes widened in shock and horror as a wave showed him a broken piece of hull bearing the name of the ship they had taken out of Caem.

He warped to it with the last of his rapidly fading strength, dragging himself out of the water painfully until Ravus was lying on his back on the floating wreckage. He tilted his head to the side, watching the airship land into the sea several hundred meters away from him with a heavy heart. His last thought was a prayer to the Six: **_Please let them be safe!_**


	42. Field Test part 2

Luche had sworn as he understood what the Commander had shouted before warping STRAIGHT INTO A RAGING STORM! A wave breaking over the deck forced him to tighten his grip on Crowe as he bellowed, "The Commander left to buy us time! We need to get to land NOW!"

Crowe hissed as bullets shattered against the barrier she and Libertus were holding up. "Storm's edge shouldn't be too far! We just need to hold on for 15 more minutes on this course!" She shouted back.

Luche gritted his teeth, shifting his body and grip around until he could look at the men holding the helm. Lance and Sonitus were still holding the helm straight and on course for now. Lance seemed to sense the gaze on him and he glanced over his shoulder to give Luche a stern nod before shifting his grip slightly and checking their course.

The boat lifted and fell as it rode on the growing waves. The next 5 minutes felt like an eternity among the boom of thunder and missiles. It felt so much longer when Luche could do nothing but hope and pray that Libertus and Crowe held long enough to pierce through the storm. A sudden increase in light had Luche shift his gaze from the rain filled horizon to behind them where he witnessed the closest airship shoot some of its guns towards their other pursuers.

Nyx grinned maniacally as he met Luche's stunned gaze. He shouted, "Looks like the Commander kept his word! We'd better make use of it before he comes back and takes our heads for not obeying him!" He gave a meaningful glance at the tittering Crowe and Libertus before adding, "Think they can drop the shield?"

Luche nodded, "Crowe! Libertus! Drop the shields and get into the cabin! Nyx! Tredd! Both of you stay up here and keep an eye on the Niffs! Pelna! With me! We need to find a place to dock safely!" He saw each of them acknowledge the orders with a nod.

Nyx and Tredd helped Crowe and Libertus back into the cabin before rushing back out to keep on eye on the falling Niflheim aircrafts. Luche headed straight to the front of the boat with Pelna following right behind, they needed to get to land. If Crowe and the onboard navigator were correct, and they usually were, then they should be in sight of the coast of Accordo.

The growing storm made it hard to see anything through the heavy rain and churning waves but they were Galahdians, weather like this was nothing to be afraid of. Nyx warped over to Luche a few times to keep him aware that while two of the airships had been forced into the sea, several dozens of the smaller air carriers had managed to be launched from them. Fortunately, the small crafts could not withstand the storm and were forced to retreat beyond the storm's edge.

They still had one more airship following them but they hadn't been attacked since its guns had been turned against its allies. Luche stared through the sheets of rain, looking for a darker patch of darkness that would tell him where they were.

"There!" Pelna prodded Luche while pointing slightly to their left. There, barely visible through the tall waves, was a single point of light surrounded by a darker patch of something.

Luche nodded, squeezing Pelna's shoulder in acknowledgement before fighting his way against the wind and rain to let Sonitus and Lance know where to adjust their course. His voice was becoming hoarse from all the shouting but he managed to croak out, "Change the course slightly to the left! There's a guiding harbor light there!" Lance nodded and with Sonitus' help managed to fight against the raging current to adjust the boat's direction.

As it shifted slightly to the left, a wave rose right under the right side of the boat. The deck tilted dangerously to the left, sending everyone on board scrambling to hold on to something steady. A second wave hit the exposed underside before the boat had a chance to drop back down.

There was a moment of weightlessness as the ship started to roll before gravity caught back up and the boat was sent crashing into the sea. Luche reached out to grab the nearest human form he could see before following the bubbles escaping to the surface as quickly as he could.

They fought against the sea current and the waves before finally managing to break the surface of the water and gulp down fresh air. Luche look over at Sonitus, a bloody gash crossing his forehead, then around them in search of the others.

He thought he saw other bobbing shapes through the waves but the constant wall of water breaking over them made it impossible to know for certain. "Shit! We need to get to land!" He finally shouted to Sonitus before starting to swim towards the growing source of light other than the lightning flashing around them.

Nyx swore as the deck shifted violently under his feet. He dove to grab Tredd before the man could fall overboard. For a moment he thought the boat would slide back upright but the sight of the second wave rising under the boat told him otherwise. He didn't have time to shout a warning before the wave sending their ship upside down into the sea and them flying off the deck with it.

He kept his grip on Tredd until they stopped being twisted around by the forced of the fall and until Tredd tapped him hand to indicate he was good to swimming alone. Nyx nodded , releasing a single bubble and they both followed it up frantically. The sea was too dark to see anything as they burst out of its grip. They simply tread the water for a few long seconds, both looking around to find something of a landmark.

Tredd finally spotted the light they had originally been heading for and tapped Nyx's shoulder to point it out. Nyx nodded grimly before following his partner towards it. The others had better be alright.

Crowe had known the moment Lance and Sonitus had started turning the helm that they would end up flipping. She was doubly sure when the first wave hit and lunged desperately out of her seat to grab the ring buoy. She barely managed to hold unto it as the shift of the deck sent her stumbling backwards.

A hand snaked its way around her waist and she saw Libs' pale face staring at her with a grim understanding. When the world around them turned upside down, Crowe reached out and grabbed the Kid's father in a tight grip.

The trio were able to get out of the cabin as it sank under the waves and rose up together. Lance took a single look at his exhausted companions before grabbing the rope attached to the floatation device, took off his waterlogged jacket and shirt, and started to bring them in the direction Crowe told him.

Pelna watched horrified as Nyx and Tredd were thrown out of the boat as it flipped. He had managed to grab the ropes hanging over the side of the ship when it had tilted almost vertically, and had scrambled onto its belly when it had flipped.

He waited in hope of spotting someone rise back up from under it for as long as he could but the boat was sinking fast and he knew better than to be on it when it did. He sent a prayer to Carbuncle to guide his friends and Prompto's father to safety before diving off the sinking boat to head towards the land he had seen mere minutes earlier.

They were all swimming when one of the largest, most brilliant lightning bolt struck the last airship with a ear-piercing boom of thunder.

They all watched from their spread-out position as the form of an old man was seen for a moment in the clouds above its burning, falling corpse.

They all saw the flicker of a warp falling downwards into the sea before being lost among the waves.

They all silently went back to reaching the shore.

The first thing Ravus felt when he started to regain consciousness was a numb feeling, some kind of disconnect between his mind and body. The second was a bone-deep cold that reminded him of staying out late with his mother and Lunafreya to watch the first snowfall years ago.

He forced his eyes to open sluggishly, blinking to clear the fuzzy edge around his sight. He didn't recognize the dull metallic ceiling that greeted him, nor did he recognize the small spartan room he was in. There was no window and only one door, for which Ravus couldn't see a knob.

Part of him seemed to think that was important and very wrong. But most of him was still too tired, too filled by numbness the worry about it. Ravus welcomed the darkness when it fell over him, sweeping him back into slumber.

Everyone, save the Commander, had found each other relatively quick once they had reached the Accordan coast. Crowe had started sending invisible waves of magic to guide the others to their group the moment they had reached the shore.

Fortunately, none of them had any major injuries, with Sonitus' forehead cut being the worst. Luche had wasted no time in getting them settled into a cave, building a fire and getting some food ready. Thankfully the glaives had stored all important belongings in the magical armory for the trip. Once that had been done, he had sent Sonitus and Tredd to check the area for any signs of Niflheim soldiers or their missing Commander.

Sonitus looked grim when he returned to the cave-turned-rally-point with Tredd following closely behind, his body tense and looking ready to fight at a moment's notice. There hadn't been much chatter when they had entered but even those soft sounds stopped completely at their approach.

Sonitus dropped to sit in front of Luche and Lance before he told them what the two glaives had found. "The Commander's been captured." He stated straight off, "We saw a Nif air carrier drop down over a beach and went to take a look. We got there just in time to see them drag him into the hold on the orders of some lady."

Lance took a hissing breath at the news. "How was he?" He demanded, his hands forming fists on his legs as he waited for an answer.

Tredd replied to Lance with a scowl, "No clue. He wasn't fighting them so he was probably unconscious but there was a lot of blood on the sand after they closed the doors."

"What about the carrier? Did they take off?" asked Luche. Sonitus shook his head at that. Luche frowned and looked around the small cave. Crowe and Libertus were dead asleep, sleeping off the magic drain from maintaining the shields and then the unexpected swim to shore. The rest of the glaives and Lance were tired but awake enough for what Luche had in mind.

He listened carefully as Sonitus and Tredd finished reporting the number of soldiers they had spotted, two dozen fully human ones with no MTs or clones in sight which was highly unusual for Niflheim. Tredd had been able to overhear some of the soldiers complain about the storm keeping them grounded until it passed, which meant they had a half a day before the storm passed.

Luche grinned and outlined his plan, they would rest up for another few hours while keeping an eye on the Nif's movements. Once Crowe and Libertus woke up, they would be joined by Tredd, Luche and Nyx, and head over to the carrier to begin their attack. Pelna and Sonitus would stay with Lance out of sight; if something went wrong they were to get to Altissia and let the king know.

Lance interrupted Luche sharply, "I'm going with you." Luche frowned, trying to find a way to politely tell the old man he was a civilian and would get in their way. Lance rolled his eyes and told them, "I was part of Ifrit's Children." He sighed at the confused look the glaives sent his way.

"I was trained to be a soldier and an assassin since I could walk." He explained to them quietly, "Me and Sylva, my wife, destroyed it almost 2 decades ago. The informant we've been sent to meet? They used to be part of it too." He grinned grimly at the shock displayed on their faces. "I can fight and Ravus is my nephew. I'm coming along." His tone was final and he looked from one stunned face to another, looking for any signs of disagreement and finding none.

Luche swallowed dryly and rearranged his plan to include the apparently ex-assassin. "Alright. In that case we'll all head to the beach once we've gotten some rest. We'll have to take down all of their guards before trying to take out the air carrier's engine."

Luche looked over at Nyx, "I want you, Sir Lance," He ignored the put-out glare sent his way, "Crowe and Pelna are to infiltrate the ship while we do that. Find Commander Ravus and get him out. We'll keep their attention on us for as long as possible and meet up with you after."

Nyx and Pelna both nodded their understanding with Lance following when Luche turned with a pointed look. Luche nodded, more to himself than anyone in particular, and added,"Storm shouldn't lessen till tomorrow but I want someone keeping an eye on the Nifs at all times. 2h shifts, I'll take the first one."

The rest of the evening faded into night without trouble, even the few daemons that emerged as night fell left the cave and its occupants alone. Lance had taken the last planned shift; insisted on it despite Luche's displeasure at having a civilian, even one with a military past, be alone to keep watch. He was staring at the dark outline of the storm-battered Niflheim craft with impatience.

There hadn't been any movement outside of a single change of guards, and no news or hint about Ravus' location or state. Lance hoped it meant that Ravus was safe but Niflheim didn't have a good track record about the treatment of any prisoners in their grasp.

He growled under his breath, wishing for the hundredth time that he had better eyesight. Maybe then he could glean some information from the air carrier's metallic exterior. Unfortunately, his degrading eyesight was hindered by the sleet of cold rain that continued to cover the whole area with barely a pause.

It didn't take long for the glaives to arrive, Crowe and Libertus looking much better than before and both looked ready for a fight. They weren't the only ones as Lance's gaze roamed from face to face, finding the same ready and fiercely-determined look echoed among the other Galahdians.

Luche quickly asked if there had been any change, and nodded when Lance shook his head. He motioned for everyone to get ready wordlessly; Nyx, Crowe and Pelna creeping to Lance's side as they waited for Luche's signal to move.

At their leader's nod both team split up as planned. Nyx and Lance's team moved to the right side of the ship, staying in sight of the hangar door as they waited for the guards to disappear.

Lance watched carefully as one by one the Niflheim soldiers patrolling a set perimeter were yanked off their feet and behind rocks or bushes silently. Nyx leaned in and whispered barely loud enough for Lance to hear him, "Pelna is going to go first; wait with Crowe till we've cleared the way."

Lance opened his mouth to argue, then closed it with a snap as he nodded. He watched Nyx's hands flash open and close rapidly, the movement bearing some meaning to the others as Crowe came to settle beside Lance without a word and Pelna followed Nyx out of sight.

For a long minute, nothing happened. Lance forced himself to stay still and waited. And waited. And...The sound of something exploding filled the air followed by the smell of motor oil burning. The hangar door opened, several soldiers rushing outside to check on the now burning engine with frantic shouts.

The shouts grew angrier as Lance watched Tredd run into a crack between several boulders, causing some of the Niflheim soldiers to give him chase. More soldiers poured out of the carrier, half-dressed in many cases, and quickly spread out through the area. Some kept a sharp eye towards where Tredd had vanished while most started forming a chain to the sea in hope of extinguishing the fire before it spread.

As Lance watched, he saw two flashes of metal zip past the soldiers unnoticed into the carrier itself. Crowe tapped his arm and motioned for him to follow her. The chain of soldiers were facing away from them as they crept along the side of the ship with the wind until they stepped into the hull to find Nyx keeping watch as Pelna worked on opening a door at the end of the open hanger.

As soon as Pelna pushed the steel door open, Nyx slipped out of sight for a brief moment before returning and opening the door wider. It was closed as soon as Pelna slipped behind them all, leaving the four standing in a staircase. Nyx kept to the front of the group, carefully scouting the way,his hands flashing quickly to give Pelna and Crowe instruction that were then whispered to Lance.

The first three doors they came across lead into messy dorm rooms, clothes and blankets strewn on the ground when its occupants had been called to action unexpectedly. The fourth was a washroom and the fifth a communal shower.

They climbed up a short series of stairs before Nyx plastered himself against the wall as a voice echoed through the metal. "Biggs! Get your ass outside and help the men. Wedge! Keep an eye on Prince Serious. I'm going to go make sure the area is secure." The voice got closer as they spoke, the click of heels on metal marked every step until it came to an abrupt stop not too far from their location.

A heavy silence filled the air, Nyx and Pelna tensing up while Crowe shifted as well; all of them ready to move at a moment's notice should they be found. Lance shifted slightly to be ready to react as well but it proved unnecessary. The woman sighed, "You know what Wedge? Forget about the Pretty Boy and go help Biggs. It's not like he's going to go anywhere in his state."

Lance tensed at the words, mind taking apart the obvious fact that this person knew they were there and didn't seem to care about their presence. The knowledge that Ravus was seriously injured to the point of being unable to try to escape by himself was just as worrying. Footsteps slowly disappeared and left them with a growing urgency.

They had to find Ravus!

Nyx quickly checked if the way was clear before guiding them forward. As they passed a slightly open door, Pelna hissed in surprise. "In here!" He whispered before ducking into the room and heading straight for the data bank placed in the middle of a cable filled room.

He wasted no time in pulling out the handheld computer that had been entrusted to him and plugging it into a jack. Silvery text and numbers started scrolling on the screen as Pelna fiddled with a few of the settings until he grinned, pleased with what he was seeing.

"I got us a diagram of the Nifs' carriers and where they keep prisoners!" He exclaimed excitedly in a low voice. "Commander Ravus should be in a room about two halls down."

With a direction now guiding their feet, the group quickly made their way to the cell. It looked unremarkable from the outside, the door as plain as any other in the area. Nyx tested the door and found it locked as expected; he stepped aside and allowed for Pelna to work his brand of techno magic as he and Crowe stood guard.

The moment the door clicked open Lance rushed into the room. He spotted Ravus, pale and unconscious on a bed on the opposite of the door and dropped by him. "Ravus!" He hissed as he quickly checked the young man for injuries.

There were thick bandages around both his arms, pinkish stains bleeding through the white cloth at several places. On Ravus' left arm, between the edge of the bandage and his shoulder, was a lattice of thin branching burn marks. Lance gently pushed down the blanket covering Ravus and found another set of bandages wrapped around his abdomen, this one bearing a large red stain on one side.

Pelna swore between clenched teeth as he saw the blood stained abdomen of his Commander. "Crowe? We need a potion. An elixir would be even better if you have one." He said as he reached over to take out the IV Ravus was hooked on.

Crowe and Nyx both glanced into the room at the request, their faces growing serious and worried at the sight within. Crowe mentally went through what she had stashed into the magical armory they had access to, and compared it to what they had used up until now on mostly minor stuff. They had three potions left and that was it.

She quickly tossed one to Pelna, "We have two more but that's it." She warned.

Pelna nodded before cracking the glass vial over his Commander's abdomen. The warm green glow made Ravus seem very pale as it washed over him. Lance took one of Ravus' hands into his own as he waited to see if the potion would be enough to at least wake him up.

Lance slowly counted to thirty, eyes fixed on Ravus as he waited. A twitch of Ravus' expression had him tighten his grip marginally and he whispered softly, "Time to wake up Ravus. Please…" He watch with bated breath as Ravus started shifting slightly until finally! Finally he opened confused eyes.

Ravus wasn't sure what woke him up. It was a familiar, comforting voice that confused him because he couldn't link his pained state with its presence. If anything part of him knew that the owner of the voice should not be there.

One of his hands was warmer than the other, and that more than anything made him want to open his eyes to see why. At first his sight was blurry and unfocused, his vision filled with dull grey and little else.

He blinked rapidly before a soft sigh from his right side drew his gaze. The face that greeted Ravus had him jerking up straight as he remembered why Lance shouldn't be kneeling by his bedside.

Ravus slapped his arm over his side as the sudden movement filled his body with excruciating pain. His vision went white and he barely felt the two (why were there two?) pairs of hands now supporting his body as it tried to curl up on itself.

"Ravus!" Lance's voice was concerned and loud. It rang in his head, making Ravus wince in pain. Something shattered close by, bringing with it familiar warmth and soothing his pain to a more manageable level.

"Uncle?" Ravus finally spoke as he shifted carefully until he could see his uncle filling his sight. Lance's expression was filled with relief tainted by concern. Ravus glanced around his cell and noticed the three glaives there as well. "Wh…What are you doing here?"

Nyx answered quickly before Lance could say anything. "Sorry to interrupt but if the Commander can move then we need to get out. Luche and the others won't be able to keep them occupied forever."

Lance looked over his shoulder and nodded. Nyx was right, they had already spent long enough looking for Ravus. Who knew how much longer they had before the soldiers returned. He turned back to Ravus, "Do you think you can stand?"

Ravus nodded slowly, wincing as the world spun around him. It took both Lance and Pelna to get him standing as his body protested every movement vehemently. Once Ravus was more or less steady on his feet, leaning heavily on Lance and Pelna, they slowly moved through the still-empty halls until they reached the hangar.

Nyx didn't like this one bit. It was too easy for it to be true; and every sense, every instinct was yelling at him to be on guard. He had Crowe stay with the others as he crept down the stairs and peered into the hangar.

There in the middle of the hangar was a single figure. The tall lance in its hands, one taller than themselves, made the figure an imposing one. Nyx froze as he tried to determine if he had been noticed.

"About time you make your way here!" Aranea drawled as she flicked the lights in the hangar on. Nyx tensed up, ready to take his chances and attack her.

Aranea twirled her lance in one hand, "I'm not going to fight you, so relax. I got a message for you all from one of my bosses." She waited for an answer.

Nyx hesitated for a moment before summoning his kukris and stepped through the door. "Alright, what's the message?" He was still tense and ready to fight if he needed.

The Commodore smirked, openly eyeing the Galahdian glaive in front of her. "Not bad for a Lucian." She chuckled at the glare she received and waved it off. "Alright, here's the message: if Lucis needs help from within the Empire, the resistance will offer what it can… for the right price."

Nyx frowned as he listened to the message. There was a lot of questions running through his mind but he doubted the soldier would answer him but still… "Who are you?" He asked instead.

Aranea leaned on her lance as she answered, "Commodore Aranea Highwind. I lead this merry band of mercenaries." A sound came out from outside and she glanced over her shoulder, her amused expression melting into annoyance.

She turned back to the glaive and added, "We have our orders and they don't include getting in your way." Another sound and she turned to yell, "Simmer down!", before she returned her attention to Nyx. "Why are you still here? Get out of my ship! You've already caused enough trouble." She stalked off outside without waiting for an answer leaving Nyx standing alone in the hanger.

Nyx wasted no time, turning around and finding the others right where he had left them earlier. Crowe raised an eyebrow when he returned with his kukris in hand but Nyx just shook his head. Telling his friends and the Commander about Commodore Highwind and her message would have to wait.

They were able to make their way outside without seeing anyone, the area outside the air carrier just as empty as the ship had been. It worried Lance as they slowly made their way to the cave. When he felt eyes on him, Lance glanced over his shoulder and saw the black and red armored dragoon standing on the roof of the aircraft staring at them intently.

Aranea watched as the glaives shuffled away from her 'borrowed' ship. Biggs and Wedge had taken the men to comb the beach for parts to repair the motor. She had opted to stay behind for a single reason. After all it wasn't often she got an order from _those three_ telling her to bring the blond prince to them.

She smirked as the only non-glaive member of the group turned and looked straight at her. She gave the older man a wave before jumping off with ease. She had a ship to repair and men to shout at!

Ravus hissed out a sharp breath as he was helped to the ground by his uncle and Pelna. He leaned heavily against the cave wall, eyes closed as he waited for the pain to settle down. A warm hand came to rest on his forehead and he leaned into it with a pleased hum. It was replaced by a cold cloth and another set of hands brushing against his side carefully.

Ravus forced his eyes open and glanced to see Crowe focusing her magic into a healing spell. He waited patiently for her to finish, his body relaxing as the pain faded away, before speaking, "Thank you Altius." He turned to Luche, "What happened?"

Luche shifted to face him before he started to fill him in the details since Ravus' departure from their group. He explained how after Tredd and Sonitus had sabotaged the motor, they had brought the soldiers through a wild chicatrice chase before slipping away thanks to Libertus' invisibility shield.

Nyx took over as he told on their infiltration and finally of the message the Nif mercenary had given him in the hanger. "She asked me to pass on a message. If Lucis needed help the resistance would offer it for a price."

Sonitus grumbled, "As if we can trust a Nif's words." There was a bunch of nods from the other glaives.

Lance frowned and quietly interjected, "And yet she knew of our presence and let us walk in and out with little trouble."

"That's true." Whispered Ravus, "She also could have killed me at any time. She certainly didn't have to take care of my injuries to the extent she did."He could feel exhaustion creeping up on him now that he had a better idea of the situation. "Luche…" He didn't have to say anything else as the man nodded.

"We'll set up a watch for the remainder of the night. Please get some more rest Commander, we'll have to travel a bit before reaching the nearest town." Luche said confidently.

Ravus glanced over at Lance who gave him a soft smile, before closing his eyes and falling asleep almost instantly. Lance took the blanket Libertus offered him and tucked it around Ravus before bringing the young man to lean on him. He watched as Luche set a schedule for guards and settled in to wait.

It took half a day after Ravus woke up to follow the beach to the harbor that had been their destination initially. It was one of the smaller towns of Accordo but it held everything they needed to buy a new boat and get the authorization to moar in Altissia.

Luckily they still had plenty of time to meet their informant. Another day saw them arrive in the City of Water and getting rooms at one of the many hotels close to Maagho's.

Ravus stretched carefully with Crowe looking on after another healing session. The deep cut on his side was now a white-and-pink scar that itched and felt tight as he moved. His arms had small burn scars from the metal shrapnel that had melted into his skin and been removed during his captivity, running from his wrists to his elbow. His left arm was still sore despite Crowe's best attempts at healing the lightning burns left by what was likely Ramuh's help.

"This will do until Lunafreya can take a closer look at it. Thank you once more for your assistance." Ravus stated as he put his shirt back on. He glanced at the clock and nodded to himself, "We should head out. Luche and the others should be in place already."

Crowe nodded and got up, her jacket waiting for her by the door. She followed Ravus into the streets, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings as they walked the short distance to the gondola that would ferry them to the restaurant.

She concealed her laughter as she saw her friends in casual clothes wandering around the area. It was very hard, especially when she spotted Nyx in a very polished suit, his hair loosened from his braids to hang in a high ponytail.

Lance met them there, having gone ahead to grab a suitable table and to talk with Weskham beforehand. Ravus sat beside him and returned the smile he received with one of his own. Crowe dropped into the third seat and mumbled, "I wish we could try some of those dishes. They look and smell amazing," while eyeing the server passing her by.

Ravus smirked and offered, "If all goes well with this meeting we can return to celebrate later. Consider it my thanks."

He regretted the words when the small communicator in his ear chimed with Nyx's voice, "You'd better keep your wor… What in Ifrit's name is she doing here?" Ravus tensed up.

"Looks like our informant has arrived but with back up. The Dragoon is with them and heading your way Commander. Your orders?" Luche's calm voice told them just as a gondola came to a stop in front of the restaurant.

Ravus leaned back on his chair and watched as Aranea Highwind sauntered into the restaurant, taking a measuring glance of the interior of the Maagho before nodding to her companion. "We wait and see. Be ready to move on my command."

Commodore Highwind waited until the blond haired man passed by her before following him as they walked towards their contact. When the old man who had noticed her watching got up, her charge faltered for a moment.

"Lance, I hadn't expected to see you here. What a pleasant surprise!" He said as he came to stop before Lance.

Lance chuckled and replied, "It was a last minute decision of my part. I'm sure this won't be any trouble right Morbido?"

Morbido grinned, "Not at all." He motioned to Aranea and introduced her to the table, "This is Aranea, she's here as my bodyguard and a member of the resistance."

Aranea grinned at Ravus who returned it with his own sharp one. Oh, she liked him even more now; she was going to have to insist on seeing him more often if they ended up working together.


	43. Time for Change

A/N: End of year 4.

Ravus stood staring at Regis in disbelief. "You want me to what?" Ravus turned to look at Cor and Clarus for some kind of hint that this was a joke or prank but found only pride and amusement in their eyes.

Regis smiled, eyes crinkling in amusement as he repeated his previous words, "I am asking you to become the commander of the Kingsglaive. You are well-liked by them, have great skill with the crystal's magic, and know your way around the politics of the court." The King pushed himself to his feet and moved around his desk to stand before the still young prince.

Ravus opened his mouth, closed it, then reopened it to whisper, "But I…" His expression was filled with doubt and confusion as he struggled to understand, to accept that the man that had taken him in, that had helped him overcome what the Empire had done to him; that Regis would trust him with such an important position.

Cor stepped up to stand beside Ravus, gently resting a hand on Ravus' arm as to not startle the young man. "You don't have to give us a reply right away. Take the time you need to consider it, talk it over if you need to but this is something all three of us have talked about for the last year or so."

Ravus glanced over to Cor and slowly nodded his head, "I… Thank you, I'll… think about it." He took a step back, dislodging Cor's hand and bowed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for our mission." Ravus waited for the nod from the King before leaving the room in a hurry.

Regis watched him leave with worried eyes, sighing as the door closed behind Ravus. He mumbled, "If only you could be here, Sylva." He shook his head when Clarus came to stand beside him and wrapped him in his arms. "I'm fine, just a bit worried about Ravus."

Cor turned slightly away from the two lovers. "Ravus will be fine. He'll be with Lance for the next few weeks. If he needs someone to talk to then he'll have someone by his side." He glanced over his shoulder and sighed, shaking his head at the two older men tangled together. "I'll leave you two alone and start the paperwork for Ravus' promotion." He made sure to lock the door as he left.

-

Ravus walked over to the Kingsglaives' training arena in a mess of anxiety. The sudden offer of taking over for Cor as commander of the Kingsglaive had been utterly unexpected, and Ravus didn't know what he should do.

He was hardly a good leader; still reckless and stubborn, as many had pointed out since he first joined. There had to be better options than him. Ravus sighed as he warped up to the highest pillar, forcing himself to take a deep breath as he fought the nausea that came with the movement.

He was thankfully alone and would be for the next half hour or so before his team mates showed up for the briefing and planning. Plenty of time to lose himself in the strain of magic and exercise.

Half an hour later, Ravus nodded to Ludic, his second in command, and joined him on the training tower with a huff. The other 8 glaives that formed Ravus' squad weren't too far behind, and soon the training arena was filled with friendly banter as they all found a perch to claim as their own with Ravus and Ludic in the center.

Ravus took his time to check on his teammates, as he often did before any mission. He wasn't going to risk an injury or death because someone under his care was ill or too stressed to do what they needed on the field.

Everyone looked fine; Ravus rolled his shoulders to get rid of the tension remaining in them before he addressed them all. "As you know, King Regis needs us to escort a group of civilians, mostly bureaucrats, to check the state of the northwestern frontier and the towns in that area," he declared bluntly.

Ravus bit back the satisfied smile that threatened to show up as he saw how easily his squad became serious and focused at his words. "The length of the tour is unknown as it will depend on what our charges need to do; but the estimate is about a full 5 weeks. We leave in an hour so I expect that you've already packed."

There were nods from the glaives around him, Ravus smirking as he summoned his dagger into existence. "Good then we can get started with warming up. You have thirty minutes to tag me or Ludic, otherwise you'll be running laps to the Citadel and back until we have to leave."

He ignored the fake groans of annoyance from his team as he prepared to throw his dagger. A voice from Ilona, a mother of 2, interrupted with a teasing tone. "And if we do?"

Ravus grinned as he glanced over to Ludic and offered, "You tag either of us before time runs out, and I'll go drinking with you and pay for it once we get back. Deal?"

The cheers from his team were answer enough and Ravus wasted no time to warp to the another pillar. He wondered if anyone would be able to get close enough to win.

-

Lance starred in amusement at the sight of Ravus' team arriving out of breath only minutes before they were scheduled to leave. Ravus had a satisfied smirk on his face as he walked up to Lance, who was in charge of the small team of bureaucrats, and Dustin, who was leading the 10 Crownguards also accompanying the group. "Dustin. Lance. Are we ready to leave?" Ravus asked.

Lance nodded, "Good morning Ravus. My team is ready to leave whenever." Dustin simply nodded as a response to the question. Lance smiled at the young man, "We were waiting for you and your team. Is everything alright?"

Ravus looked slightly embarrassed as he looked away from Lance and the older guard. "I apologize." He gave a short bow to both men, "I might have gotten carried away with my team this morning."

Lance waved the apology away, "You aren't late so it's fine. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying yourself with your friends." He bit back an amused grin when Ravus swiveled to stare at him in surprise at his words, instead motioning towards the map laid out on the hood of the van. "We were about to go over the route and schedule."

The three men bent over the map and Dustin spoke up. "His Majesty wants the northwestern frontier area checked after the drought and earthquake of this summer."

Dustin made a wide circle around the Cleigne area with his finger. "The official reason for the trip is for a survey of the damage done to infrastructures, and the first population count since Niflheim has been pushed past the borders. The unofficial reason, and why His Majesty is sending both Crownsguard and Kingsglaive along, is several concerning reports about airships being seen above the Vesperpool. We are to investigate those sightings and determine if Niflheim is starting to move once more."

Ravus nodded his understanding. It would take the caravan of 6 cars about 9 to 10 hours to reach their destination if all went well. "That matches what I was told as well. I suggest we head to Lestallum first and start with the official part of our mission, maybe gather some more information about these airships, before we start planning how to investigate the pool properly."

Dustin and Lance both nodded their agreement to Ravus' suggestion. Dustin folded the map quickly as Ravus and Lance went to make final checks on their respective teams before they began their travel right on time.

The trip to Lestallum was calm, Ravus enjoying the banter from his teammates over their communicators as he and Ludic drove. He was just as amazed by the sight of the meteor shard held by Titan as he had been when they had first passed it by almost five years ago.

The only downside of a peaceful drive was that it allowed Ravus to think about the surprising proposal from Regis. He had only been a member of the Kingsglaive for the last year or so, having started his training after the kidnapping.

While he enjoyed the responsibilities and flexibility of being the leader of his squadron, Ravus didn't feel like he was ready to take over for the entire Kingsglaive. For one he was much younger than most of the glaives, not to mention his lack of experience as a leader and as a glaive.

The long drive ended with no resolution for the prince of Tenebrae, only increased confusion and a feeling of inadequacy. Ravus pushed it aside as he stepped out of the van and looked at their lodging, the Leville, a hotel owned by the family of the Amicitia's butler.

The next day was filled with patrolling around the city; escorting Lance and the other bureaucrats to the various areas they needed to see, and to the people they needed to speak to within the city. Ravus and Dustin had half of their group resting and discreetly gathering information about the sighting of the airships while the other half worked as escorts.

The first week ended up passing by in the same manner, though with less moving around as Lestallum's administration gave Lance and his team full access to their archives on top of a place to work in. It meant that the glaives and guards spent most of their time guarding the entrances to the building and rooms rather than moving around, but no one complained since it made for a nice paid vacation.

On the 10th day of their arrival, Ravus and Ludic met up with Dustin to discuss the information each group had found and how to proceed in their investigation. Both glaives and guards had found more of less the same information; the sightings of the airships had started about 3 months ago with a single airship being seen landing by some fishermen.

Since that time, an airship was seen almost every third day landing during the morning and leaving before nightfall. It wasn't always a single airship, sometime up to four ships would arrive at the same time and leave together as well but strangely enough, there were no signs of soldiers or MTs exiting them.

The fishermen and hunters who witnessed the airships' arrivals and departures confirmed the fact. Any airships that landed close to roads or paths did nothing more than remain where they had landed until they left. It was strange enough to cause worry especially since it hadn't been very long since Niflheim had been pushed back beyond Lucis' border.

"If there hasn't been any change in the schedule, then airships should be seen tomorrow as well." Dustin told Ravus. "The glaives have better mobility in the marshes than we guards, do. As such it would be best for you to take the lead on this."

Ravus nodded, "That sounds reasonable. Do you want me to leave someone behind just in case?" When Dustin shook his head Ravus nodded and turned to Ludic. "Alright, let's get the word to the others about this. We will need to leave soon if we want to get there in time."

Ludic nodded and hurried away to gather the rest of their squad. Ravus turned back towards Dustin, "We will scout the location and watch where the airships come in."

Dustin nodded and added, "You're only to watch for now. I don't believe you are likely to do anything reckless but do be careful. His Majesty always gets worried when you're away from the crown city."

Ravus stared at Dustin in shock, his cheeks feeling warmer than normal and he just knew he was blushing at the man's words. Dustin smiled at Ravus' reaction and gently steered the man out of the room, "Go and get ready. I'll take good care of Lance and the others so concentrate on finding what you can. I'll be expecting a call or message the day after tomorrow."

Ravus nodded numbly, still shocked by Dustin's words even as he was sent off to get ready by the older man. He walked to his room without really being aware of it, his mind playing the words over and over in his mind. Did Regis really worry that much about him?

He went through the motions of packing his things and checking his weapons. By the time Ludic had talked with the other glaives, Ravus was done packing and had started checking on the gear in the trucks they would be taking.

-  
They arrived at the Vesperpool's haven an hour before sunset. Ravus had Ludic take a few of the team to scout the area before the night made it impossible while the camp was set up. The scouts returned to the camp just in time to eat, Ludic heading straight to talk with Ravus.

"Ravus, we confirmed the location of the landing site. It's not too far from here but the trees are thick and we couldn't safely check the area properly." Ludic reported.

Ravus handed him a plate of the stew. "I see. Thanks Ludic. We'll set up a watch overnight for the camp and the landing site just in case." He looked around the camp, contentment welling up at the sight of his compatriots eating together around the fire.

Ludic followed Ravus' gaze and smiled as well. "Let's wait until after they're done eating to decide." He suggested, voice tinged with pride and amusement. Ravus smirked and nodded before following the older glaive over to enjoy the good company.

After they had all eaten and cleaned up, Ravus outlined the plan quickly. A watch schedule was set and Ravus listened to the banter being exchanged around him. There was something peaceful about sitting here and just listening without having to worry about being dragged into an argument or debate.

"A chocochick told me you got quite the offer from His Majesty before coming here." Ludic began as he dragged a chair to sit beside Ravus. He kept his eyes on the antics of their glaives, giving Ravus the chance to either take him up on his offer to talk or ignore him without pressure.

Ravus groaned, "Does everyone know?"

"Not everyone..." Ludic answered amused, glancing over to check the young prince's expression. He found Ravus looking lost and unusually hesitant. Ludic shifted his gaze away, "Why is it bothering you so much?"

Ravus sighed, there were a lot of things that bothered him about Regis' offer. "Where should I begin?" He muttered, "The fact that I am only 20? That I'm brash and reckless? That there are a lot of other glaives with much more experience and who deserve this more than I do?"

Ravus hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and stared at the ground. "I don't understand why he would offer me such a position when there are many better choices for the job." He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against his hands.

Ludic listened to Ravus carefully. He wasn't surprised by the doubts that came out on the subject. Ravus had always had trouble seeing his own strengths and often lost himself in his faults. He took a sip of his coffee and took the time to gather his thoughts.

"You're underestimating yourself, Ravus. You might be young, but you have a lot more experience than you seem to believe." He said simply. "You were brought up as a prince for most of your life. You know how to deal with nobles and bureaucrats. That's something few others know how to do."

Ludic waited for some kind of reaction and sighed when Ravus remained stoic. He looked over and added, "You're a good leader Ravus. We all think so. And honestly? I'd rather have you as my commander than someone else." He drained his drink and stood up, ignoring the surprised look Ravus was sending him. "Try to get some rest."

Ravus watched him leave. Ludic had given him a few things to think about.

The next dawn rose on the glaives as they waited patiently. They had spread out around the clearing early and had settled down to keep watch as they waited for the airships to arrive. The sun warmed the air slowly, chasing away the chill of the night from their bones as the animals of the Vesperpool woke up around them.

The croaking of frogs calling out to each other masked the tell-tale buzz of airships approaching until it was much closer. A single airship, a bit bigger than the ones Ravus remembered from the attack of his home, came to a slow stop above the clearing before lowering gently down to rest on the muddy ground.

Ravus raised a hand, a signal to be on their guards and ready to move. He took in the various scratches and dents that littered the hull of the airship as he waited to see what would happen. Silence. Nothing moved from within and all the animals had fled the area at its arrival.

Ludic flashed a question to Ravus: _Do we move him?_

 _Not yet._ Came the silent reply. Ravus waited. And waited. And waited until the sun was halfway to its zenith before sending two of his glaives closer to the immobile airship. Ilona and Hestir made their way to the center of the clearing with great care, the rest of their group ready to help out in moments should it be needed.

The duo snuck close enough to touch the ice cold metal hull, cold despite the warm sun and cozy weather. Ilona carefully attached a microphone to the outer wall and turned it on as Hestir checked the radio wave frequencies for any kind of communications.

There was nothing. No sound was picked up by either devices. No heavy boots thumping around, no movement from within the airship at all. There seemed to be no incoming or outgoing message other than a basic location tracker that seemed to be in all airships. Ilona and Hestir shared concerned and bewildered looks as they returned to the safety of the trees and their friends.

Ravus listened to the report with a frown. Why would there be an empty airship coming here on such regular basis? Not just one but several such ships had been witnessed if the eyewitness reports were truthful. What was Niflheim doing?

The roar of engines being turned on cut through his thoughts. Ravus looked at the airship and made a quick decision. They needed to know what was going on. "Stop it from leaving!"

The order was followed by Ravus warping into the clearing and tossing a flask into its engine before warping away. Two other glaives followed his lead, tossing their own magic flasks into the engines before getting out of harm's way.

The three flasks were enough to blow out the engine, and sent the airship dropping heavily the few meters it had risen. Ravus held up a closed fist, preventing any glaives from approaching right away, as he waited to see whether the airship was truly empty or not.

Minutes passed without sign of any movement before Ravus dropped his hand and watched as Seia, Cario and Lyco approached the hangar doors with caution. It took them less than five minutes to pry them open, allowing the group a view into the very much empty hangar bay of the airship.

Ravus frowned, "Fluvia, Janus! Go take a look but be careful. Seia and Lyco! See if you can get access to the computer system. The rest of you spread out and keep watch." He motioned for Ludic to stay with him as the rest followed his orders without question.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one thinking this is way too odd, even for the Nifs?" Ludic muttered.

Ravus suppressed the smile that made it his lips twitch at Ludic's comment. Instead he shook his head, "You're not. This feels off. Why would the Nifs send empty airships here? Ramuh's beard, how are they even doing it in the first place?"

Neither of them had answers and so they had no choice but to wait and see what their glaives would find inside the airship. Minutes felt like hours as they waited to see what Fluvia and Janus would find inside or what Seia and Lyco would be able to extract from the computers.

"Captain!" The shout caught all of their attention as Lyco waved Ravus and Ludic over frantically.

"What did you find?" Ravus asked as he stepped into the cold hanger. He came to stand right behind Seia and looked at the screen with a rapidly deepening frown. "What in the world?"

Lyco shifted uneasily as he pointed to the screen, "We're not sure but… It seems like Niflheim has shifted their attention from the MT program towards more technological advancement such as this."

This, as Lyco put it, appeared to be a fully interactive program that was conversing with Seia easily. The text appearing on the screen sounded almost like what Ravus would expect from a text coming from an new friend. It asked questions and pressed Seia for answer the way a human might have.

The astonished look on Seia's face as she interacted with the program told Ravus quite a bit, including the fact that they would have to find someway to get the airship, or at least that program, to Insomnia safely. He asked, "And what exactly is it?"

Seia answered, her eyes riveted on the screen as her fingers flew over the clunky keyboard. "If I had to name it something it would be an artificial intelligence of some kind, rudimentary and slow but it's definitely not your normal program."

Ravus glanced over to Ludic, who gave a small shrug, before turning back to the two more technologically competent glaives with his orders. "His Majesty will want to see it, as will the computer engineers in Insomnia. See if you can figure out a safe way to move it." He waited until they both nodded their understanding before walking away and leaving them to work.

Ludic followed after him as they wondered deeper into the hanger towards the doors leading into the airship. "They shouldn't have that kind of tech." Ludic said with concern. Ravus nodded in agreement, Insomnia was by far the most technologically advanced city on Eos and they had not been able to create a true Artificial Intelligence yet. Something that Prompto kept bringing up whenever talks drifted into computer programming.

"I doubts it's a AI but the fact that such a complex program has emerged from Niflheim is worrisome enough on its own. Let's wait until Fluvia and Janus get back before we send word to Dustin." Ravus decided, keeping his voice down.

It didn't take much longer before the two scouts returned to the hangar with an odd expression on their faces. They headed straight for Ravus and Ludic the moment they entered. "You need to come see this." Fluvia declared, hands on her hips.

Another glance filled with worry and confusion passed between the captain and his second-in-command as they both nodded and followed the duo back into the airship's interior. It was as empty and silent as the hangar had been until their arrival. Each step echoed along the metal walls and the cold atmosphere gave the whole thing an eerie feeling.

Fluvia and Janus brought them to the piloting room and opened the door wordlessly. Ravus took one look inside, blinked and looked away then turned back to stare at it. The usual chairs and windows that hosted the pilots were gone.

The room was now filled with wires, larger whirling computer towers and cooling fans that were working very hard to lessen the heat pouring from the towers. Ravus raised a hand to ward off the heat that burnt even from the doorway, especially in contrast with the cold that permeated the rest of the airship. "Ifrit's ass!" Ludic swore from beside him, "How much you want to bet this is the main processor for Seia's new friend?"

Ravus looked grim as he took in the whole thing, "I don't take losing bets." He motioned for Fluvia to close the door and sighed in relief when the heavy metal cut off the heat. "Okay, I think we'd best contact Lance and Dustin about this."

Ravus sent Ludic to contact them as he checked in with the rest of his glaives for any sign of activity. Seia and Lyco were still working on the program but otherwise there was nothing unusual happening. He set Ilona and Hestir as guards before letting the rest of them relax now that they knew there was no danger in the area or on board.

It didn't take long for Ludic to return. He looked slightly worried as he joined Ravus by some rubbles. "We have orders." He started. Ravus tilted his head, waiting for Ludic to continue. "We are to bring the airship, in its entirety back to Insomnia. Lestallum doesn't have the tech necessary to dismantle and research this."

Ravus groaned, "This is going to be a pain." He looked at the blown out engines and sighed, "Might as well start working on it now."

It took another week of sending his glaives to Lestallum to grab parts and equipments to repair the Magitek engines before Ravus was ready to try moving the airship. During that time they had seen no other airships coming and a quick question towards the 'AI' revealed that it had been the one flying all the ships as training exercises.

Ravus sent reports back everytime Seia or Lyco found something new about the odd program but otherwise the week was quietly filled with banter and hard work. It gave him plenty of time to think and talk with his glaives. Most of them were somewhat aware of Ravus' possible promotion and congratulated him on it.

The first flight was planned from the Vesperpool to Lestallum as both a test of the engine and to see if Niflheim would react. Ravus stayed on board with Seia while sending the rest of the group to follow them in the cars in case of trouble.

The flight was utterly peaceful, except for a rather bumpy landing. Ravus walked out from the airship with a relieved sigh; the temperature had risen the longer the flight had been. Seia said it was due to the amount of power the 'AI' required to work properly; the large computer towers generated so much heat that even the cooling fans could not contain it properly.

Lance and Dustin met him as he escorted Seia off. Lance quickly looking over Ravus to check for injuries, to Ravus' fond amusement. "I'm fine Uncle." He reassured.

Lance smiled, "I'm glad. So this is the AI controlled airship?" Ravus nodded and Lance stepped closer, frowning as the waves of hot air kep wafting out. "Why is it so hot in there? It's almost like an oven…" He turned back to look at Ravus, noting the redden skin and tired look, and scowled. "You need to get some water in you and get out of the sun. Your glaive, too."

Ravus sighed but allowed Dustin to guide him into the shadows and took the water bottle Lance offered right after. He watched as another Crownsguard guided Seia to another patch of shadow and gave her a water bottle too. "Thank you. But yes, Seia says its because of how hard the computer has to work to calculate the flight and everything concerning it."

Dustin sighed, "Then a long flight is out of the questions. I'll let the king know and we'll have to either send some trucks to move it to Insomnia or get the engineers out here." He left them with a wave and walked away.

Ravus drank slowly, Lance keeping him silent company as he finished it. He watched as Ludic and the rest of his glaives arrived and spread out to keep a watch on the airship. Some of them showed the few Crownsguard present the interior of the airship.

"Uncle, I'm going to accept Regis' offer." Ravus finally said softly. It was the right thing to do.


	44. The Glaives' Sun

1) The Adventures of Malboro-kun

Prompto smiled as he followed Irine and her brother through the halls of the Kingsglaive headquarters. The new movie from the Malboro-kun series was coming out in two days!

He couldn't wait to go see it with Noct and the others but first! Prompto grinned happily as he tightened his grip on the popcorn bags in his arms. He was going to watch all of the previous movies!

Prompto had planned to watch them while Noct was at a meeting. Instead Irine had met him as he entered the Citadel and had invited him to watch the movies with the glaives. He had been a bit surprised but had quickly agreed.

Irine had walked with him to his home, waiting patiently as Prompto left a note for his parents and dropped his bag in his room. He glanced over at the kind glaive, his eyes picking up how tense she appeared to be.

Prompt frowned a bit; he knew that the glaives had been sent to do something two weeks ago and had just returned. Maybe that was why Irine looked so sad and tense when she thought he wasn't looking.

He shrugged the worry away; bad humor would always lose when faced with Malboro-kun's adventures!

Irine's brother had met up with them in the kitchen, two of the largest bags of popcorn in his arms. Prompto had taken them, as Irine and her brother had been given armfuls of food by the staff.

As Prompto walked into the training hall turned theater, he was assailed by greetings from all sides. "Prompto!" "Hey kid!" were the most common ones he heard. Someone grabbed the popcorn from his arm as another glaive guided him towards the many bean bags and ratty old couches that had been set up for the marathon.

Within a few moments, Prompto found himself sitting on a chocobo-shaped bean bag with a thick blanket draped over him. Bowls of food, ranging from popcorn to sugar-coated candy, were passed around easily.

As the first of Malboro-kun's adventures started playing on the giant screen (really a white blanket), Prompto smiled and relaxed. He didn't comment on how everyone checked on him more than usual, or the increase in people asking for a hug or to cuddle with him.

2) A day with chocochicks

Prompto hummed as he walked slowly along the sidewalk. Holding his hands were two young children, 4 and 5 years of age. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the sight of several glaives walking with their families as they headed towards the newly opened animal petting zoo.

Uncle Cor had warned him a few days ago that a group of glaives would be returning from a mission. Prompto knew by now that that meant it had been a hard mission, and had quickly organised a day to relax for everyone as a reward for returning home.

Thus a day to the petting zoo was organised for all the glaives' families, paid for by the Crown. Prompto may have talked with a few people to arrange for that detail. He smiled again as they approached their destination.

The staff greeted them all with smiles. The children shouted and giggled as they were divided into smaller groups for the day. Prompto trailed behind with the adults, helping store away coats and scarves in the prepared lockers.

He smiled as Terri, an enthusiastic 9 year old, and Mae, Terri's twin, ran over to grab his hands. "Come on Prom! They have chocochicks!" Terri exclaimed as he and his twin pulled Prompto towards the entrance to the indoor zoo. Prompto laughed as he allowed them to tug him towards the entrance, he did want to see the chocochicks after all.

Prompto ended up spending the whole day at the chocochick pen as the children played around while their parents relaxed and had fun with them. It was a very successful day by the time they left as the sun dipped under the edge of the wall. Prompto smiled as he waved goodbye to the children, glad to see his extended family feeling much better.

3) Sunshiny day

Prompto smiled as he raised his camera to his eye and adjusted the focus to get the perfect shot. The cat continued to preen itself, ignoring Prompto's presence with the ease of a cat. Prompto checked the results, beaming with satisfaction as it was pretty good.

He turned back to his companion for the day, Jess. "Thanks for waiting!" He said as he returned to keep pushing the wheelchair. Their destination was a small out-of-the-way park that wasn't far from the Scourge recovery hospital. It was filled with verdoyant trees and grass with a man-made pond sitting nicely in the middle.

Jess simply nodded, not really looking at Prompto while doing so. Prompto kept a smile on his face as he started walking. He kept a running commentary on what he saw around them, the birds he could hear, and the upcoming festival. He paused occasionally to allow Jess to answer or comment but his companion stayed silent.

Prompto didn't let it deter him. The day was beautiful and they had the whole day to themselves, well, the next few hours at least. He glanced at the picnic basket Ignis had been kind enough to prepare for Prompto that morning. He couldn't wait to sit down on the grassy ground and enjoy the food.

It didn't prevent Prompto from stopping to take a few more pictures when something caught his sight. He smiled when his companion seemed to enjoy watching him have fun, though it wasn't very visible. But Prompto knew, he could tell by the way Jess' eyes would widen and track him as he gushed about whatever it was that brought his camera up.

By the time they had arrived at the park, Prompto had managed to get three words out of Jess. Three whole words! Prompto preened at the fact. Maybe he could get a full sentence out before they were forced to return to the hospital.

Prompto hummed thoughtfully as he looked around for the perfect picnic spot. He found one under an old willow and pointed it out to Jess with a gleeful smile. Prompto set up the large blanket on the floor before grabbing the picnic basket and opening it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Prompto kept an eye on Jess as the glaive moved slowly from the wheelchair to the ground. He took his time taking out every packed container to place it around the blanket within easy reach for both of them.

Cold cut sandwiches, a wide selection of veggies, some fruits and a small cake were displayed under the shade. Prompto handed Jess a plate before starting to fill his own with delicacies of Ignis' creation. He took time to place each item in his plate, moving them around until he had the perfect spread for a picture.

He took it with his phone and sent it to Ignis with a thumbs up. The first bite of food was absolutely delicious and Prompto beamed at Jess when he saw the glaive's reaction to his first bite. They devoured the food quickly.

Prompto enjoyed the companionable silence as the wind blew occasionally, keeping them comfortably cool despite the rising warmth. Prompto dropped to lie on his back once he was full, closing his eyes to rest a bit.

He felt Jess hesitate more than heard and patted the blanket beside him in a silent invitation. Jess took a moment before copying Prompto. With the glaive by his side, Prompto started identifying out loud each bird he could recognize by song, making it into a game as he tried to copy them as well.

Prompto stayed like that until he got restless. Getting up once he couldn't stay still any longer, Prompto smiled at Jess sleeping by his side and quietly cleaned up.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading one of Gladio's recommended books while staying close to Jess, who slept the hours away peacefully. Prompto took a few more pictures as they came along but he was reluctant to leave the injured glaive alone for any length of time.

When Jess finally woke up, a bit disoriented and panicked until he spotted Prompto smiling patiently close by; they cleaned up the last of their things and made their way back towards the hospital. As Prompto left Jess in the care of the nurses and turned to leave, he was stopped by a hesitant whisper.

"Cou… Could we do this again?" Jess asked. Prompto whirled, beaming with happiness as he nodded.

"Of course!"

4) A sweet reminder (ice cream run Ravus + Prompto)

The moment he was cleared by his aunt Sylva, Ravus left the Citadel and took a car from the parking lot. He headed straight for the school, intent and needing to see his cousin before he could fully relax.

It was still early, barely past 10 o'clock but Ravus didn't allow that to deter him. He stomped to the administration office and came to stop before the secretary. "I'm here to pick up Prompto Argentum."

The secretary looked surprised to see Ravus there, not surprising since he was still in his glaive uniform and fidgeting a lot. "Is there an emergency?" The secretary asked frantically.

Ravus shook his head and clarified, "It's a family matter." He crossed his arms and walked restlessly back and forth as he waited for Prompto to arrive.

"Ravus!" Prompto exclaimed cheerfully as he flew into the office straight to hug Ravus. He looked at Ravus, spotting the weariness in his eyes. "Shall we?"

Ravus hugged Prompto tightly, relief flooding his body at his cousin's smile. He nodded against his head and allowed Prompto to lead the way. Ravus held Prompto's hand tightly as they walked, his eyes roaming over his cousin and taking in all the little things that made Prompto Prompto.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Prompto asked softly, glancing over to Ravus.

Ravus shook his head, "Not right now." He looked around and asked, "What do you want to do?" They had the whole day, or at least a few hours before needing to go anywhere.

Prompto tilted his head and considered his options. The arcade was out of the question, going somewhere with loud noises and sudden flashes of lights was not a good idea right now. A movie might be nice but he didn't know which ones were showing right now.

He hummed then grinned as the perfect idea came to him. With a bounce in his step, Prompto tugged Ravus along as he head straight for the perfect place to spend a few hours. "Let's go there!"

Ravus laughed as he was pulled after Prompto. He didn't know where Prompto was heading but it didn't matter too much. Prompto was alright. He was here with him, laughing and enjoying himself. Prompto was alive.

Their destination became obvious the longer they walked as the buildings became more commercial and familiar. Ravus sighed in amusement and said, "Really Prompto? It's early and not that warm out."

Prompto laughed it off and declared, "There's never a bad time for Ice cream Ray-Ray!" He pushed the door open and dragged Ravus into the small family owned business.

It was divided in two, half of it being a ice cream bar that included cakes, frozen yogurts and even a make-your-own-flavor machine. The other half was set up like a cozy personal library with a hearth roaring with flames, the wooden floor matching the carved bookcases that lined the walls.

Prompto had found the place a while ago during one of his picture taking explorations of the city and it had become quite the favorite spot to relax for many of their friends. Ravus and Prompto came to stop in front of the wide selection of ice cream, Prompto grinning as he considered what to have.

Ravus chuckled fondly, keeping close to the boy as he peered through the glass. There were a few new flavors since his last visit: bubblegum fizz, chocobo track, sea salt, and…Prince's Desire. Ravus blinked in surprise as he read the last name. "Sorry but what is Prince's Desire?"

The staff smiled and explained, "It's a dark chocolate ice cream with cherry cordial and some candied cherries. Would you like a sample?" Ravus nodded and hummed in appreciation of the combination of dark chocolate bitterness with the sweetness of the cherry cordial and candies.

"I'll take that one please. 2 scoops on a waffle cone." Ravus asked before turning to Prompto, who pointed at the low-fat chocolate and summer berries yogurt ice cream. "And 1 scoop of the Summer Delight as well."

As he watched Prompto devour his ice cream with obvious delight, Ravus felt the last knot of tension relax. It was good to be back home.

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading, all the kudos and the comments. I really appreciate each and everyone of them.

I have decided to concentrate a bit more on the main fic, Bahamut's prophecy, from now on. I will be continuing Ten Years but will not be posting as regularly.

I am still accepting any prompts or suggestions for drabbles and thank you to all those who have sent in suggestions/prompts! I have them all saved in a file and am going through them slowly.


	45. Saving Caelums

Year 3: autumn

Ravus threw the dagger through the air, waiting until he saw it was on target before moving. He reached for the thread of crystalline magic and warped. The intense sensation of being broken into pieces and reassembled quickly dropped him to his knees as his stomach protested the spell.

Ravus unsteadily pushed himself up to his feet with a growl. He had been practicing warping at every spare moment since the King had granted him the Crystal's magic; and yet, every warp ended with him in his knees as he emptied his stomach on the sandy ground. This wasn't working.

Taking a few minutes to catch his breath and let his stomach settle down, Ravus checked his phone for messages. Prompto was letting him know he and the rest of their group, including Luna of course, were heading out with the Marshall for a movie. Ravus smiled and sent a quick reply to his cousin, a reminder not to let Luna choose a horror film like last time.

Feeling slightly less irritated at his perceived failures, Ravus quickly cleaned up and left the Kingsglaive training ground. His car, a silver and purple Jaguar, waited for him in the parking lot. He drove the short distance to the Citadel and considered his options.

His current training just wasn't working, and while no one expected him to be perfect, Ravus did expect to be able to warp at least once without being sick by now. With a sigh he considered what to do. Asking for help was the more efficient way, as uncomfortable with the idea as he still was, but who should he speak to?

The Marshall wasn't an option, Ravus knew for a fact the man had never been able to warp without being violently sick for days. The current Shield was also out of the question; Gladiolus had confided in Ravus that his father was woefully out of practice and had been forbidden from attempting any kind of spellcasting without direct supervision.

The only person left to ask about such a matter was the King himself but… Ravus didn't want to bother him for such a… He sighed. With a slightly self deprecating smile, Ravus forced his mind away from its current direction and instead focused on driving. His chest twinged slightly as anxiety tried to rear its head but Ravus was getting much better at preventing it from doing so.

It wasn't until Ravus had parked his car at the Citadel and was on the way to the residential area that he carefully reconsidered his worry. King Regis had been very welcoming and tried hard to ensure his and Luna's comfort within the Lucian Capital. It wasn't that late either.

Ravus pressed the button for the level where the Royal Quarters were in and leaned back. It would be fine, King Regis wouldn't laugh or belittle him for asking for advice. The worst outcome would be that the King had no help to offer. It wouldn't cause trouble to ask and he wouldn't be in trouble for asking.

His plans changed when the elevator doors opened to near-pitch darkness. Ravus stood stock-still for a single second before slamming on the alarm button of the elevator and running off towards the Royal rooms. Dead Crownsguards laid where they had been slain, their blood pooling on the marble floors. Ravus forced himself not to stop and check if they were alive.

As he approached the open door to the suite, Ravus slowed down and summoned his daggers. The heavy weight of the weapons against the palm of his hands was both a comfort and a source of anxiety. He swallowed dryly and covered the ground to the door quickly.

The sharp tone of metal hitting metal reached his ears as he peered passed the entrance into the living room he now knew so well. He didn't hesitate as he spotted the King surrounded by three figures among broken furniture.

His first dagger found its mark in the eye on the right most assassin. His second buried itself into the upraised arm of another. It served as an anchor as Ravus warped to it, his weight tearing it downwards through muscle and scraping bone.

An extended hand wobbled as the weight of the first dagger returned just in time to deflect the retaliatory blow. It wasn't enough as the longer blade dug into his forearm, spilled even more blood on the already stained rug.

Ravus roared in pain and fear as he moved out of range, wobbling dangerously on his feet. His opponent didn't even hesitate as they swirled to face the King's unguarded back.

 _No!_ As the assassin dove forward towards Regis, Ravus threw daggers in pursuit. He warped above the attacker and dropped like a stone unto their back, his daggers ending up buried in the thick of their neck.

Ravus panted as he cast his eyes up to watch as Regis impaled the last assassin on his sword without a sound. As he watched the last body slump to the ground with a horrifyingly familiar wet sound, Ravus dimly realized he was going to throw up again.

He wasn't truly aware of his surroundings as Ravus wobbled to the washroom to be throw up bile into the toilet. He gagged and retched miserably, vaguely aware of someone brushing hair out of his eyes and rubbing a soothing hand across his back.

When Ravus was able to catch his breath and think without getting sick, he looked over his shoulder into the worried face of the King. Clarus Amicitia had arrived at some point, if the booming voice was any indication. Ravus straightened slowly, eyebrows furrowed as he only now realized something.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" His voice was miserable, rough and barely above a whisper. Regis nodded without saying a word to Ravus' increased worry.

The king seemed to see the panic in Ravus' eyes and quickly tried to soothe the younger man. He used magic to write in mid air, **They used Silence on me.**

2) Year 5: Winter

Ravus stood by the podium as Regis slowly walked to it, Noctis almost hovering in concern by his side. The 579th iteration of Shiva's Festival was about to begin with the traditional opening speech from the king and the crowd was looking forward to the week long event.

Regis looked regal in his black winter coat, silver snowflakes bordering the edges of his cape as homage to the Glacian. He looked around the crowd and waited until they had fallen quiet before speaking, every breath sending puffs of white drifting into the air.

"Welcome one and all to the 579th Festival in honor of the Glacian, Shiva!" He waited patiently for the applause to simmer down before continuing. "It is Our pleasure to see you all here to enjoy this time honored tradition. We can assure you that this year's festival shall be as enjoyable as last year's-"

"As long as the Ice Hotel doesn't burn down again!" called someone from the crowd. Laughter rose at the reminder of the ironic event from last year, even Regis chuckling at it.

The king cast an amused gaze at Ravus, one of the few who was aware the fire had been caused by Noctis accessing his magic without meaning too, before he turned back to the crowd to answer. "Indeed! Let us hope no such incident occurs this year."

With a wide grin, Regis raised a hand into the air and announced, "Without further ado, I pronounce the Festival open!" The cheers that followed were like a wave crashing over the stand as the beautifully-sculpted ice doors were opened behind him.

Ravus motioned for the day's guards, a mix of glaives and crownsguards, to start escorting Regis. At least he didn't have to worry too much about Noctis causing trouble. Said prince had moved to walk beside his father, stealing worried glances towards the king as they entered the festival grounds.

There was no set schedule for the day except for the evening's concert and dance contest. As such the Royal family walked around at their leisure with their guards keeping a watchful eye on the crowd. Ravus found that he wasn't the only guard struggling to keep a serious face as games were tried and bets were taken among the adults, the younger teens and the guards.

As the afternoon wound into evening, the crowd moved from the outside events towards the stadium for the opening day concert. Ravus half-listened to young Iris pestering Noctis for a dance, but his attention was mostly on the king's slow and almost overly-careful movements.

He stepped closer and inquired in a whisper, "Is everything alright?" The grimace on the older man's face was answer enough. Ravus glanced up to meet Clarus' own worried gaze before returning to check on Regis.

Ravus straightened quickly and turned to the closest of the guards. "Go get the snowmobile for His Majesty. We'll wait here until you return." Ravus moved closer to Regis, gently guiding the pained king to the nearest seat.

His order brought Noctis over, wearing a worried expression on their faces. Regis smiled as he carefully stretched his sore knee with a wince, "I'm alright. It's simply the cold making my knee act up." Noctis seemed to relax a little bit at this, but he still shuffled closer to his dad.

Ravus stepped back to stand beside Regis, Clarus doing the same on the other side of the prince, as they waited for the guard to return with the prepared snowmobile. He watched with a small smile as his sister helped keep Noctis from worrying too much by initiating a conversation about the bands that were set to play in a few hours. It didn't take long for the guard to return at the helm of a snowmobile pulled sled.

It took both Noctis and Clarus to help Regis to his feet and to the sled but soon enough they were on the way to the warm interior of the concert hall. There were already large groups of citizens, refugees as much as Insomnian-born, already sitting in their seats. Vendors, both for food and drink, were walking among the aisles waving their wares around.

The concert hall was composed of two major layers; the outer one was made of carefully carved ice, but the inner part was warm and much more comfortable to be in. As the group settled into the Royal Family's private booth, Ravus divided the security team into two smaller groups as to allow everyone a chance to eat and enjoy the festivities.

The opening band played five songs, 2 originals and 3 covers. As the main group arrived to take their place, Regis grinned at his son and said, "I do believe you were going to dance with Iris?" He laughed as Iris jumped up immediately even as Noctis paled and shook his head.

It took a few minutes but as the first song began, Iris had dragged Noctis down to the dancefloor. Gladio, Ignis, Prompto, Luna and a few guards also followed after them. Ravus watched with amusement as his sister dragged Ignis into dancing beside Noctis and Iris.

Three songs into the concert, Regis got to his feet and announced, "I believe I shall go join my son and try some of those dances." He ignored the pointed look Clarus shot towards his weaker knee. "I'll be alright. The rest was enough." He left the booth as a fourth song, an upbeat one that made him nod and hum in time with the beat.

Ravus stayed a step behind Regis as they moved towards the lower floor. He didn't think the rest had been enough to ensure the king had no trouble with his knee. He shook his head slightly - insisting on being around while his sister learned medicine from Aunt Sylva had certainly ensured that he had learned some medical knowledge as well.

As Regis walked down the ice-spackled steps, a small commotion rose from the bottom. Clarus and a pair of guards moved in front of the king while Ravus shifted closer protectively. The next few seconds happened both incredibly quick and in slow motion to Ravus.

As Clarus stepped forward to talk with a staff member, Regis made to follow after him with his good leg leading. His foot slipped on some ice and Regis locked his knee to regain his balance. Just as he seemed to recover it, his bad knee buckled from under him.

Ravus saw as Regis fell backwards, his mind helpfully telling him that the king was about to hit his head on the edge of the stairs - a fall likely to break the man's neck. He was barely aware of lunging forward. He did feel the heavy weight of Regis' body landing on his outreached arms like a brick.

"Your Majesty!" Clarus shouted as he raced over to the two fallen men with panic shining in his eyes. He dropped to his knees, eyes widening in horror at the growing puddle of blood under them.

Regis groaned as he opened his eyes and looked up at Clarus. His back throbbed in pain and the back of his neck felt wet but otherwise it seemed like he had not been injured. A hissed breath from behind him jerked Regis' attention over to the pale-faced Ravus hunched over him.

Ravus flinched as Regis suddenly sat up, but his gaze was brought to his arms' current state. He had been able to get both arms under Regis' head and prevent him from getting seriously injured but it came at a cost.

Ravus could see bone sticking out of his right arm where it had been resting against the edge of the step. His left arm seemed only slightly better, as he could make his hand move a little bit. A flicker of blue and Ravus felt the relief of healing magic wash over him, but that didn't mean Regis didn't insist he be brought to a hospital to ensure his bone had healed properly.

3)Year 4- summer

Ravus stared blankly at the uniform in his sister's hand. His hands twitched with the desire to grab the hideously garish garb and burn it. "What is that?" He managed to say.

Lunafreya's grin was far too amused and gleeful. She laid the uniform on his bed, taking a few moments to arrange it just so before answering. "That, my dear beloved brother, is your uniform for the ball." She took one look at Ravus' expression and burst out laughing.

"No." Ravus said with fierce conviction. "I will not wear...this...this abomination!" He gestured at the uniform sharply. The thing was a bright chocobo yellow with equally bright pink cuffs and collar. It looked like someone had tried to mix chocobos, moogles and a 100-year-old suit together.

Luna couldn't stop laughing. This was why she had asked to be the one to present Ravus with his chosen outfit. "Now, now. It's not so bad." She patted her brother on the arm, "You should go see what Noctis has." Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

Ravus groaned, passing a hand over his face. When he had learned that his presence had been voluntold for the chocobo-moogle carnival to grace Insomnia's streets in several centuries, Ravus had neither expected a charity ball, nor having been told there was a dress code.

He glanced at the uniform and flinched. "The things I do for that brat…." Ravus muttered under his breath.

Luna smiled gently. Ravus would not easily admit it but he too considered Prompto as a younger, more annoying, sibling. "Perhaps it would help if you remember that it is a masked ball?" She offered helpfully.

Ravus looked dubious about the whole affair but Prompto was so excited for the carnival and the charity ball. He sighed and slowly nodded. "It does. Now help me put this thing away before I decide to accidentally burn it." Luna chuckled and helped hang the hideous uniform at the back of Ravus' closet until the ball.

It's not long before he has to wear it. Three short days before the carnival opens between the harbor and entertainment districts. The ball is planned for the first night of the festivities and Ravus dreads every second as it approaches.

Noctis, in a rare glimpse of perceptiveness, is as amused as Luna about Ravus' horror. When it is time for the participants of the ball to get ready, Noct tells Ravus he had taken to liberty of having the garish uniform brought up to the royal quarters so they could help each other get ready. Ravus fantasizes pushing Noctis into the fountain for a brief moment before following very, very, slowly after him.

The halls are buzzing with excitement; staff was running around to finish all last-minute preparations. Ravus glared at the incessant movement. There was so much temporary staff hired for the long list of events that it makes Ravus wary. "Are you alright, Ravus?" Noct asks, casting a concerned glance towards his companion.

Ravus hesitated a bit before answering. "I will be once this whole thing is over." He doesn't explain and he doesn't have to. Noctis nodded slowly and stayed a little bit closer to Ravus than before.

They reach the Royal Quarters without trouble. Noctis led Ravus to his room, grinning as he gestured to the hung uniform. "Here you go Ray-Ray. Try not to rip anything." The teasing tone made Ravus groan even as he moved to grab it.

Taking the uniform to the ensuite bathroom, Ravus glared at the offensive clothing. At least it wouldn't be very hard to put on, a small blessing compared to the hideousness of it all. Ravus quickly stripped and put it on. The less chance he got to stare at it in its entirety, the better.

He avoided the mirror and his reflection as he looked around for the mask that should have been with it. Finding nothing closely resembling such an item, Ravus turned to the closed door and asks, "Noctis, have you seen the mask that was with the uniform?" Nothing.

Ravus frowned. "Noctis?" He pays close attention to the silence that follows. No sound or movement. Something was wrong.

He leaves the bathroom and finds himself staring at an empty bedroom. Where was Noctis? Ravus called out again. There was no answer. A sharp shrill draws his attention to the other side of the bed just in time to see something white disappear out of sight.

Ravus hurried over and swore. Noctis lay motionless on the floor, face twisted in pain even in unconsciousness.

Ravus dropped to his knees, hand going straight to check for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he found it, a bit fluttery but strong. A quick call to the infirmary later, Ravus gently breaks a potion in Noctis' hand.

The young prince groaned awake almost instantly, eyes squeezing shut before slowly opening. Ravus leaned over, Noct's eyes glazed and unfocused. "Noctis? Can you hear me?" He asked softly. Noct's eyes flicked upwards but there was no recognition in them.

Ravus kept talking to him anyway, about anything that came to mind. It helped Ravus keep calm as he waited for the team of nurses and doctors to arrive. Noctis would be fine. "At least I'll have a reason to skip the ball." He ended up muttering.

"Ha….have to...go." Noctis' voice is weak. Ravus stared for a second before letting his head drop with a sigh. Of all the things to get a reaction.

Ravus leaned farther down and pressed his forehead carefully against Noct's. "You are unbelievable, brat." He smiled. "Fine, I'll go in your place. So relax and listen to the doctors."

4) Year 7- Fall

Nights are starting to get cold as the leaves turn to gold and crimson. Ravus smiles as he watches Prompto drag Noctis, Ignis and Gladio around for a photoshoot. The sun is setting in the background and Ravus catches part of Prompto's explanation on lighting though he doesn't understand it.

Ravus tilts his head up to soak the warmth. It was nice to spend some time without having to worry about the war. He can hear Gladio's deep rumbling laugh and Prompto's gleeful shrieks. He can predict the groan from Noctis and Ignis' reminder to be careful.

It feels nice. To be able to simply be without stress for a moment. Screams interrupt his peace.

Ravus' eyes snap open. He sees a car, apparently out of control, heading straight at Noctis. He acts without a thought, dagger flying through the air as he warp-tackles the stunned prince out of the way.

"Noct! Ravus!" A trio of shouts comes from everywhere as Ravus tucks Noctis tightly in his arms and rolls to a stop. Hands help them up. Ravus looks at Noctis and smiles as he sees Ignis fussing over his prince. Prompto is quick to do the same with him.

So much for a peaceful evening, Ravus thinks as he looks over at the stopped car. And just when he was finally able to relax.


End file.
